Campbell 10, UNCG 7
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The UNCG baseball team led for the majority of its game Wednesday at Campbell, but the Camels plated five runs in the eighth inning to walk away with a 10-7 nonconference victory at Jim Perry Stadium.
The Spartans fell to 18-23 overall, while Campbell improved its record to 37-8.
Senior outfielder Christian Wolfe recorded a hit in the game to extend his hitting streak to 18 games, while also driving in three runs. A trio of UNCG players tallied multiple-hit contests. Junior LHP Dylan Hathcock was tagged with the loss, giving up five runs on four hits while striking out two.
The Spartans broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the second as senior infielder Lloyd Enzor laced a single to center field before sophomore outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch reached on an error by the Campbell first baseman, allowing Enzor to move to third. Senior outfielder Zach Leach hit a fly ball to center that scored Enzor, then, with two away, freshman catcher Jake Hall ripped a single to left, which brought home Kalbfleisch from second base for a 2-0 UNCG advantage.
A one-out single began things for the Camels in the bottom of the second as Elijah Trail poked one through the left side. He would advance to second on a wild pitch before consecutive singles brought him home. Campbell had more chances to do damage in the frame, but with two outs, Spartan starter RHP Brennen James struck out John Reilly to terminate the threat.
Thompson came on to pitch the third inning and gave up three straight singles, allowing the Camels to tie the contest. He was spelled by sophomore LHP Caleb Henley, who almost escaped without giving up the go-ahead run, but Henley walked Trail with the bases loaded to make the score 3-2.
The Blue and Gold put a runner into scoring position in the top of the fourth as a two-out single by senior infielder TJ Spina put Leach at second base. Leach would steal third base with Hall up to the plate, and Hall battled through to a full count and walked to load the bases.
Redshirt freshman infielder Nin Marrero had an opportunity to knot the score or give the Spartans the lead, and he came through, hitting a hot shot to the third baseman, who did not have time to nab Spina at his base and allowed Leach to cross home safely. That kept the inning going for Wolfe, who crushed a bases-clearing triple off the center-field wall to give UNCG a 6-3 lead.
Campbell had an answer in the bottom of the frame, rallying with two outs. Ben McQuown was hit by a pitch then stole second base. After Brent Graham struck out swinging, Michael Felton doubled to center to score the runner and make the score 6-4. David Olson then walked, bringing up Trail again, but he was robbed of a hit by in center field Leach, who made a great grab to end the inning.
The scoring pace slowed considerably from there as the Camels scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Olson. The Spartans were able to answer, however, as Edwards singled with one out and moved to third on a single by Enzor. Kalbfleisch then hustled down to first on a ground ball and beat the throw to plate Edwards and re-establish UNCG’s two-run cushion.
The Camels loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth and took advantage, scoring five runs in the inning. The big blow came via a grand slam by pinch-hitter Blake Boyce with one out.
The Spartans went down in order in the top of the ninth to end the contest.
UNCG returns home this weekend for a three-game Southern Conference series against league leader Western Carolina. The set begins Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch.
UNC Asheville 8, Wofford 7
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Wofford baseball team rallied in the ninth inning on a rainy Wednesday afternoon at Greenwood Field but was defeated 8-7 by UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs had an 8-3 advantage before a Terrier rally drove in four runs in the top of the ninth inning, but the tying run was left on third base.
Wofford is now 16-27 on the season and UNC Asheville is 14-29. The Terriers were led by James Plaisted with two hits and two RBIs, while Matt Ramsay added two RBIs. The Bulldogs had three hits and two RBIs by Ian Graham.
The Bulldogs scored a run on an RBI single from Sam Turner in the bottom of the second inning. A double from Ian Graham drove in another run for a 2-0 lead. Matthew Pelt singled in the top of the third, then stole second and moved to third on an error. A groundout by Matthew Kaskow scored Pelt for a 2-1 score. Alec Paradowski singled and was left on third to end the top half. The Bulldogs added a run on an RBI single from Hunter Bryant to make it 3-1 after three innings.
In the top of the fourth, Seth Neely led off with a double and he stole third. Wofford left two runners on base to end the scoring chance. UNC Asheville had an RBI double by Sam Turner to push the lead to 4-1. A single by Tommy Houmard drove in another run for a 5-1 lead after four complete innings.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth on a single and two walks with one out. With two outs, a throwing error allowed two runs to score for a 7-1 advantage. Wofford had runners at second and third following a walk and double by Eric Brenk in the top of the sixth. Another walk loaded the bases with one out, but the Terriers were unable to score. UNC Asheville left two on base in the bottom of the sixth.
Demetrius Jennings opened the seventh inning with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Josh Hyman walked, a double steal moved the runners into scoring position. A hit up the middle by Plaisted drove in both runners to make it a 7-3 game at the stretch. The Bulldogs opened the bottom of the seventh with a double, and a single by Ian Graham drove in the runner for an 8-3 score.
The Terriers left two on base in the top of the eighth inning and the Bulldogs stranded one in the bottom of the eighth. In the top of the ninth, Neely was hit by a pitch and Plaisted and Brenk singled to load the bases. A double down the right-field line by Ramsay scored two runs to cut the score to 8-5. Pelt and Taylor Rozier had RBI singles to make it an 8-7 game, but the tying run was left on third base.
Wofford starter Connell Anderson (0-3) threw 3 2/3 innings and allowed five runs, two of which were unearned, along with two strikeouts.
UNC Asheville starter Lucas Clarke (2-3) went 5 1/3 innings with one run allowed on six hits and four strikeouts. Scott Robinson got the save by working the final 2/3 of an inning with one strikeout.
The Terriers will begin a three-game Southern Conference home series against Davidson on Friday at 6 p.m.
No. 13 Clemson 12, Western Carolina 1
CLEMSON, S.C. – Ranked as high as 13th in the country, the Clemson Tigers plated 12 runs on 17 base hits and capitalized on a pair of Western Carolina errors to down the Catamounts 12-1 Wednesday night in midweek nonconference action at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The loss halted WCU’s eight-game winning streak while also completing the two-game series sweep for Clemson over the Catamounts. First pitch of Wednesday night’s game was delayed for over an hour and 15 minutes due to rain showers that passed through during pregame.
Sophomore infielder Bradley Strong paced the Catamount offense in the loss, finishing 2-for-2 at the plate with a single through the left side and an RBI bunt single in the fifth inning. With two runners aboard, Strong pushed a bunt to the right side and won the foot race to first for his second hit of the game.
Junior Dykota Spiess reached twice on a walk and a single, scoring WCU’s lone run, with Dale Urquhart Jr. also reaching twice with a double down the left-field line and on a base on balls. Tyler White stretched his current hitting streak to a season-long 10 straight games with his 21st double of the season. White has now also reached base safely in 18 consecutive games for WCU.
WCU had eight batters combine for the team’s nine hits on the night.
After a scoreless first inning, Clemson (28-13) scored runs in three straight frames from the second through the fourth to grab control of the game. The Tigers scored one in the second inning before plating four each in the third and fourth innings to lead 9-0. After WCU pushed across a run in the top of the fifth, the Tigers stretched the margin out to 11 with a three-spot in the home half of the sixth inning to provide the final tally.
WCU used seven pitchers on Wednesday night with freshman Jonathan Waszak (0-1) taking the loss after surrendering three runs on four hits through two innings of work, chased in the top of the third inning. The Wendell, N.C., native struck out the first two batters of the game.
Clemson starter Zack Erwin (3-0) silenced the red-hot Catamount bats, limiting WCU to one run on just four hits through five innings. The left-hander worked around a walk with four strikeouts as one of five Tiger pitchers. Brody Koerner also struck out four in two innings with two walks.
Six Tigers posted multiple-hit games, including catcher Garrett Boulware, who drove in four on a 3-for-4 showing at the plate.
Western Carolina (27-17, 15-6 SoCon) returns to the diamond for a three-game Southern Conference series this Friday through Sunday at UNCG.
Appalachian State at East Tennessee State (susp.)
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – In a rain-soaked Thomas Stadium, Appalachian State and East Tennessee State got through 6 1/2 innings with the Mountaineers leading, 3-1, before the second rain delay came and suspended the game until April 30. The final 2 1/2 innings will be played at Beaver Field in Boone, N.C., at 5 p.m.
After a rain delay postponed action in the fourth inning, the inclement weather arrived again after the third out in the top half of the seventh inning with Appalachian State reliever Josh Wilson entering the game. Play will resume from that stopping point.
In the 6 1/2 completed innings, Appalachian pounded out six hits, headlined by Hector Crespo’s leadoff triple in the third inning. Brandon Burris, who entered the game after the first rain delay in the fourth inning, recorded the only other multi-base hit with a one-out double to left-center field.
After a scoreless first, the Mountaineers plated two runs in the second inning, as Michael Pierson singled up the middle bring in Gabe Dimock and open the scoring. The next batter, Josh Zumbrook, plated Dillon Dobson on a sacrifice fly to center field.
In the ensuing inning, ETSU led off with a triple by Andrew Green and a double by Kevin Phillips, which cut the Appalachian State led in half, 2-1.
The Mountaineers got their final run of the rain-shortened game in the third inning when Crespo scored after his triple on a groundout by Noah Holmes.
The Apps return to the High Country and Southern Conference play on Friday for a three-game set with Samford. First pitch on Friday from Beaver Field is set for 6:30 p.m.