GREENSBORO, N.C. - The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team took down The Southern Conference (SoCon) foe Mercer, 5–4, in game one at UNCG Baseball Stadium on Thursday night.
UNCG got the day started in the first inning with a Jacob Budzik RBI double that drove in Brody Gardner for the 1-0 lead. The Spartans added to the lead in the bottom of the second as Ethan Brittain scored on a Mercer error for a 2-0 advantage. UNCG starter Cannon Lee got into trouble in the top of the third, loading the bases with no outs. However, the freshman right-hander allowed just one run as he coaxed two fly outs and a strikeout to end the inning with minimal damage, a 2-1lead.
The game quieted down until the top of the six inning, when the Bears forced five walks and a clutch two RBI single in the frame to take the 4-2 lead. Three-hole batter Jake Mueller cut the lead down to one run in the seventh with a moonshot over the left field wall, 4-3. Relievers Luke Thomas and John Horton kept the explosive Mercer offense at bay as the Spartans had runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Pinch hitter Luke Holland stepped up to the dish and delivered a clutch two RBI single to give UNCG the lead 5-4 heading into the final frame. Mayson Dear was tasked with the save and the closer was lights out shutting down Mercer one-two-three to end the game at 5-4.
PITCHING RECORDS:
John Horton: W, 1-1
Reid Fagerstrom: L, 3-1
Mayson Dear: S (2)
NOTES:
RECORDS:
UNCG: 13-17, 2-5 SoCon
MER: 22-8, 2-2 SoCon
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The Spartans will continue the series against the Bears tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. at UNCG Baseball Stadium.