UNCG 8, No. 10 North Carolina 4
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - UNCG redshirt junior Trevor Edwards went 5-for-6 with three RBI including a long home run and Tyler Hollstegge pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-hit shutout relief as UNCG mashed out 16 hits on its way to defeating No. 10 North Carolina, 8-4, on Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The victory was the first time UNCG has defeated a ranked team since April 18, 2006 when it stunned the No. 1 ranked Tar Heels, 7-6, in Greensboro, N.C.
Zach Leach went 1-for-5 with a go-ahead RBI double down the left field line in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to a team-high 15 games.
UNCG (21-18) won its third game in a row after losing five straight and did so in dominate fashion. The Spartans got on the board first after Bobby Martin led the game off with a walk and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs and Edwards roped an RBI single up the middle to give UNCG the early 1-0 lead.
North Carolina (29-13) responded with a bang as it plated four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead. The Tar Heels loaded the bases and scored runs on back-to-back walks to Michael Russell and Cody Stubbs to take a 2-1 lead. The next batter, Adam Griffin, collected an RBI via fielders' choice. Tom Zengel followed up with a sacrifice fly to make a 4-1 lead in the Tar Heels favor after one inning of play.
However, the Spartans would not go down easily as they scored three runs in the front-end of the second half to knot the game up at four apiece. The Spartans would load the bases and set the table for Lloyd Enzor. Enzor didn't disappoint as he hit a two-run single to left to cut the deficit to one and to chase UNC starter Chris Munnelly. Edwards welcomed R.C. Orlan to the game with an RBI single to center to tie the game at four.
Through the first two innings of play, the two teams combined for seven walks, eight runs and eight runners left on base on only five hits.
After both teams failed to score in the third and fourth inning, UNCG plated a single run in every inning the rest of the game except the seventh inning.
In the fifth, Leach dug in with two on and two out and delivered a go-ahead RBI double to left to give UNCG a 5-4 that it'd never relinquish.
The Spartans tacked on an additional run in sixth as TJ Spina plated a run thanks to a sacrifice fly. UNCG would add an insurance run in the eighth inning as Edwards tapped home plate following an error by the Tar Heels' Tommy Coyle.
Leading 7-4 in the top of the ninth, Edwards blasted his 13th home run of a year on a frozen rope to right field. It was the first home run for both UNCG and Edwards since April 6 when he went yard against Presbyterian.
Hollstegge (4-4) shut the door as he retired the side in the ninth and secured the victory. Hollstegge went 5 1/3 innings of relief and allowed only one hit and struck out four.
Redshirt freshman Adam Boghosian provided the Spartans with a quality outing as he went 2 2/3 innings of shutout ball and scattered three hits while walking a batter.
The 16-hit outburst is the second-highest total for the Spartans on the season after they dished out 19 hits on opening weekend against Delaware St.
Martin enjoyed a three-hit performance on the evening and Spina and Enzor collected multi-hit games as both produced two hits. Every starter but one recorded a hit for the Spartans in the game.
Orlan (7-1) took his first loss of the season as he went three innings and allowed run even though he allowed nine hits. The loss for the Tar Heels was the first time they lost to a SoCon opponent on the season.
UNCG was only retired in order once on the evening and recorded a hit in eight of the nine innings, but, it stranded 15 runners on base compared to the Tar Heels nine.
UNCG returns to action Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. as it travels to Elon, N.C. for a three-game Southern Conference series against the Elon Phoenix. Saturday's game starts at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday's game commences at 1:30 p.m.
Wofford 9, UNC Asheville 4
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - On Tuesday afternoon the Wofford baseball team defeated UNC Asheville 9-4 at Greenwood Field. The Terriers pulled away with five runs in the top of the seventh inning, which included a three-run triple by Konstantine Diamaduros.
Wofford is 17-23 overall and UNC Asheville is 19-23 overall. The Terriers were led by Josh Hyman with three hits, while Mac Doyle and Konstantine Diamaduros each had three RBIs. The Bulldogs had two hits and two RBIs by Cody Buch.
The Terriers left one runner on base in the top of the first. The Bulldogs opened their half of the inning with a double and two walks loaded the bases, but all three runners were stranded. In the top of the third, Stephen Cantrell walked and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Josh Hyman. Mac Doyle then hit a ball off the scoreboard for his ninth home run of the season to give Wofford a 3-0 lead.
Wofford added a run in the top of the fourth when Matthew Pelt walked and was driven in on a single up the middle by James Plaisted for a 4-0 lead. The Terriers opened the fifth with singles from James Foster and Josh Hyman, but both were left on base.
UNC Asheville ended a stretch of eleven batters retired in order with a single in the bottom of the fifth inning. A two- run homer to left field by Cody Buch made it a 4-2 game at the end of five innings. In the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs added an unearned run on a ground out by Hunter Graham to make it a 4-3 game.
The Terriers loaded the bases in the top of the seventh on a single by Stephen Cantrell, an error by Josh Hyman and a walk to Mac Doyle. A triple to right center by Konstantine Diamaduros scored all three base runners to take a 7-2 lead. It was his third triple this season and he has the school career record with fifteen. Matthew Pelt added a single that scored two runs for a 9-3 advantage.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs got one run back on an RBI double by Hunter Bryant. The bases were left loaded to end the inning for UNC Asheville. James Foster doubled in the top of the eighth, but he was left on base. Wofford left two runners on base in the top of the ninth. The Bulldogs led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, but left two runners on base at the end of the game.
Wofford starter Gus White (1-0) threw five innings and gave up two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. J.D. Osborne went 1.2 innings and allowed two runs on three hits with a strikeout. Alex Wilson threw 1.1 innings and allowed one hit with one strikeout. Ryan Traylor threw the ninth and gave up two hits with one strikeout.
UNC Asheville starter Elliott Criss (2-3) went three innings and allowed three runs on four hits with one strikeout. Dillon Tabor threw 2.1 innings with one run scored on three hits. Klint Davis worked an inning and allowed one hit and one run. Evan Joura faced two batters and gave up two runs. Ethan Steible went two-thirds of an inning and gave up two runs on two hits with one strikeout. Brian Connolly and Rene Martinez each worked an inning with one hit and two strikeouts each.
The Terriers will begin a three-game home series with SoCon leader Appalachian State on Friday at 6:00 p.m.
Appalachian State 6, High Point 2
BOONE, N.C. - Preston Troutman (Rockwell, N.C./East Rowan) matched a career high with three hits and Jamie Nunn (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor) worked six strong innings on the mound to lead Appalachian State University baseball to a solid 6-2 win over visiting High Point on Tuesday evening at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
Appalachian (29-9) never trailed in the workmanlike victory to finish off a perfect 4-0 homestand and up its NCAA Division I-best home record to 21-1 on the season.
Troutman, who had five RBI in this past weekend's three-game sweep of Furman, drove in two more runs in his 3-for-4 effort on Tuesday night. The sophomore put the Mountaineers on the scoreboard with a two-out RBI triple in the second inning and brought home another run with a perfectly executed bunt single in the sixth. Troutman, who was hitting .213 just four days ago, raised his batting average to .253 with Tuesday's three-hit performance.
Hector Crespo (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian), Tyler Zupcic (Charlotte, N.C./Providence), Daniel Kassouf (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) and Tyler Tewell (Charlotte, N.C./Butler) also drove in runs for Appalachian. Kassouf doubled twice with the second coming on a line drive that just missed clearing the left-field wall for what would have been his school-record-tying 16th home run of the season. Tewell, the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week, also had two hits, including his 14th double of the campaign.
Nunn limited High Point (23-21) to just four hits and a single run over six innings. He struck out three, walked one and needed just 73 pitches to cruise through his six frames. The true freshman moved to 4-0 in his career with the win while lowering his sterling earned run average to 1.59. Four Mountaineer relievers combined to scatter three hits over the final three stanzas to close out the win.
Appalachian begins a four-game road stint on Friday when it opens a three-game SoCon series at Wofford. The set opens with a 7 p.m. contest on Friday at Russell C. King Field in Spartanburg, S.C.
Virginia Tech 7, Davidson 3
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Virginia Tech scored six unanswered runs and used eight different pitchers to keep Davidson bats in check in a 7-3 victory over the Wildcats in non-conference baseball action Tuesday evening at English Field.
After allowing Davidson (16-22) to take a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning, Virginia Tech (28-15) was able to get one run back in the bottom half of the inning with two outs. Strong winds blowing straight out to centerfield played havoc with senior centerfielder Drew Gadaire, carrying a well-hit ball by left fielder Mark Zagunis over his glove for a double and allowing centerfielder Andrew Rash to score from first base.
The Hokies then scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Zagunis bounced a double over junior third baseman Andrew Barna with one out and the bases loaded to drive in two runs for a 4-3 Hokie lead. After an intentional walk to reload the bases and a pop out, first baseman Ronnie Shaban hit a double into the right field corner to clear the bases and give Virginia Tech a four-run lead.
Zagunis and Shaban led Virginia Tech with two hits and three RBI each. Sophomore left fielder Forrest Brandt paced the Wildcats going 2-for-4, while senior right fielder Jake Berman went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and the ‘Cats lone RBI.
Berman put Davidson ahead 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning, hitting a slow rolling double down the left field line with two outs that scored sophomore catcher Daniel Gerow from first base. Berman then advanced to third and scored on a pair of wild pitches.
Davidson took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Berman scored from third base when Gadaire hit into a double play. Berman had reached after getting hit by a pitch and then advanced to third base on a single by Brandt.
Rash hit a solo home run to left field for the Hokies in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 1-1.
RHP Bryan DaCanal started for Davidson and allowed two runs on six hits in five innings pitched, leaving with a 3-2 lead. RHP Danny Mooney (1-3) suffered the loss after allowing the five runs in the seventh inning.
RHP Tanner McIntyre (4-0) earned the win striking out all four batters he faced. Hokie pitchers totaled 15 strikeouts.
Davidson will open a three-game Southern Conference series with Samford on Friday at 6 p.m. at Wilson Field.
Alabama 5, Samford 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-The Samford baseball team dropped a 5-4 decision to the Alabama Crimson Tide Tuesday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The game was played in front of 1,664 fans, the eighth-largest crowd in stadium history.
Alabama plated four runs in the top of the third inning to take a 5-1 lead. The Bulldogs fought back to cut the lead to one run, but could not get over the hump as they eventually fell by a score of 5-4.
"We had one bad inning where we failed to execute, and when you give up a big inning, it's tough to win," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "They did a good job of capitalizing and creating a big inning."
Samford's Saxon Butler led the Bulldogs at the plate, hitting a solo home run, his eighth of the season, in a 1-for-3 performance. Brandon Miller and C.K. Irby had a double and an RBI each, both going 1-for-4 at the plate.
Gil Walker (1-2) pitched 3.0 innings, giving up five runs on six hits to take the loss on the mound for Samford. Kyle Putkonen, Michael Gunter, Sean Handlan, Tyler Vanderheiden and Joseph Burns also saw time on the mound in the loss for Samford.
For Alabama at the plate, Taylor Dugas went 2-for-4 and Hunter Gregory went 2-for-5. Austen Smith hit a two-run home run in a 1-for-4 performance. Ben Moore also drove in two runs, going 1-for-3.
Case Nixon (2-1) pitched 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on four hits to earn the win for Alabama. Trey Pilkington pitched the final 3.0 innings to pick up his first save of the season.
Alabama took an early lead with one run in the top of the first inning. Dugas walked to lead off the inning, and then moved to second base on a bunt single by Gregory. Dugas then moved to third base and Gregory to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jared Reaves. Moore then reached base on a Samford error, driving in Dugas for a 1-0 Alabama lead.
Samford came back to tie the score with a run in the bottom of the second inning. With one out in the inning, Brad Moss walked and then advanced to second base on a balk. Butler then walked. With two outs in the inning, Miller doubled down the left-field line to drive in Moss to tie the score at 1-1.
Alabama took the lead again with four runs in the top of the third inning. With one out in the inning, Dugas singled to left-center field. Dugas later scored from third base on a sacrifice fly by Reaves for a 2-1 Alabama lead. Moore then singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Gregory to make the score 3-1. Smith then hit a two-run homer to left field for a 5-1 Crimson Tide lead.
Samford answered with a run in the bottom of the third inning to cut the Alabama lead to 5-2. With two outs in the inning, Butler homered to left field to bring Samford to within three runs.
The Bulldogs added another run in the fifth inning to make the score 5-3. Christiaan Durdaller tripled to right field to lead off the inning. Austin Allison then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Durdaller.
Samford plated one final run in the bottom of the sixth inning to close to within one run at 5-4. With one out in the inning, Phillip Ervin walked and then stole second base. Ervin then advanced to third base on a ground out by Miller. Irby then doubled to center field to drive in Ervin for the game's final run.
With the loss, Samford drops to 25-16 on the season. Alabama improves to 17-25 with the win.
Prior to the game, new Samford head basketball coach Bennie Seltzer threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Seltzer was introduced as Samford's new head basketball coach at a press conference on April 5. Seltzer, a Birmingham native, comes to Samford after spending the last four seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana.
After the game, Samford held its annual Diamond Dig, sponsored by Steed's Jeweler's. The winner of this year's Diamond Dig was volleyball player Chelsi Carter.
Samford will return to action Wednesday evening when the Bulldogs play at cross-town rival UAB. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start from Young Memorial Field, and it can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu. Fans can also follow the game online via GameTracker at www.samfordsports.com.
East Tennessee State 14, Furman 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Dylan Pratt went 3-for-6, homered, and drove in four runs to power East Tennessee State to a 14-2 win over Furman in baseball action Tuesday evening at Latham Stadium.
The victory earned East Tennessee State (19-20) the season split with Furman (18-24) and sent the Paladins to their fourth straight loss and ninth defeat in the last 10 games.
Pratt's three-run home run in a seven-run Buccaneer sixth helped blow open the contest, which was tied 2-2 after five innings. ETSU tacked on a run in the seventh, three in the eighth, and one in the ninth in cruising to their third straight triumph.
The Buccaneers pounded Furman pitching for 19 hits, including three home runs. Clinton Freeman and Matthew Scruggs joined Pratt with round trippers, and Andrew Green and Kerry Doane also banged out three hits and collected two RBI apiece in ETSU's offensive display.
Harrison Farmer, Taylor Johnson, and Chris Ohmstede had two hits apiece for Furman, which managed only two runs on 11 hits.
In the decisive sixth, Paladin reliever Alex Abrams issued a leadoff walk to Scruggs, who stole second and then third before scoring on a throwing error to give ETSU a 3-2 lead. With one out and a runner at first, the Buccaneers' Kerry Doan's foul pop was caught by Paladin catcher Zack Greenwell near the screen, but the ball was ruled dead before the catch after deflecting off a tree limb hanging over the playing surface. Doane then reached on a fielder's choice after Paladin third baseman Chris Ohmstede's threw late on a force attempt at second, setting up the big inning, which included a two-run single by Green and Pratt's three-run shot that landed under a magnolia tree on the hill above the left field fence.
Jimmy Nesselt (3-3) earned the victory in relief of Bucs' starter Clinton Freeman. He was the beneficiary of the seven-run sixth and ended up working four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out four.
Abrams (0-1) was charged with the loss after yielding seven runs on four hits and three walks in just 2/3 on an inning.
Furman plays at Presbyterian on Wednesday in a 3:00 p.m. game.