Spartans fall to A&T, top High Point, swept by Western

The UNCG baseball team (16-26, 4-18 SoCon) has struggled over the last few weeks and experienced another tough week falling to North Carolina A&T, beating High Point in a close game, and was swept by Western Carolina University.

The Spartans hosted the Aggies of N.C. A&T Tuesday in a rematch of a game earlier in the season that was won by UNCG 13-4. It was a much closer affair this time and the Aggies came out on top 7-6 as the Spartans could not come back from a five run deficit. UNCG starter Alex Shelton was able to go five and 1/3rd innings allowing only two runs on five hits, but the bullpen allowed five more runs over two innings to allow N.C. A&T to take a commanding lead.

After falling behind by one in the first inning Ray Quinones tripled and was driven in when Corey Overholtzer hit a single to tie the game. The Spartans offense went dormant over the next few innings but scored at least one run in each of the last four innings, but it was not enough. After pulling within three at 7-4 the Spartans put together a ninth inning rally that came close to tying the game thanks to a couple of Aggie errors.

Corey Overholtzer reached base on a fielder's choice, and Pedro Leon was hit by a pitch and both moved over one base on a wild pitch. Rob Gilliam hit a ground ball to the shortstop who made a throwing error to allow both Corey Overholtzer and Pedro Leon to score. The Spartans could not do anything more though as the next two batters went down harmlessly.

On Wednesday night UNCG traveled to High Point to take on the Panthers and escaped with a 9-7 win in the twelfth inning. The Spartans took an early 5-0 lead but gave up seven runs over the fifth and sixth inning to allow the Panthers to gain the lead. With the Spartans trailing by one in the top of the eighth inning Kris Richards hit a solo home run to tie the game up and eventually force extra innings.

Neither team was able to put up a serious threat in the 10th or 11th inning, but the Spartans broke out in the top of the twelfth inning. Joey Frabasile led off the inning with a single and Kris Richards walked. Brent O'Berry grounded into a fielder's choice that forced Frabasile out at third and brought Corey Overholtzer up with two outs and men on first and second base. Overholtzer did what he has done all year, drove in runs when needed with a triple that scored both runners and put the Spartans ahead for good. High Point went down easily in the bottom half of the inning to give the Spartans the win. Rob Gilliam picked up the win after throwing six innings of one hit relief.

The Spartans stayed at home this weekend to host the Western Carolina Catamounts and fell 10-3 in the opening game on Friday.

Greg Smith started for UNCG but allowed eight runs on 11 hits over the course of five innings of work. The Spartans coasted through the first two innings, but Western scored five runs in the third inning to break open the game. Stephen Notaro knocked the first of his three home runs in this inning. He also homered to open the fourth inning, and hit another one in the fifth inning to extend the catamount lead to 8-0.

Western Carolina's pitcher Chris Masters shut down UNCG with eighth innings of three hit ball. The Spartans did not get on the scoreboard until the ninth inning when they put up three runs on the Catamount relief pitcher. Drew Gehringer tripled to score Corey Overholtzer and Pedro Leon, and came around to score on an error by the Western Carolina right fielder. The Spartans had a chance to add more runs with runners on second and third, but a foul out ended the game.

In the second game of the series the Spartans allowed a couple of big innings for the Catamounts to come from behind and clinch the series with a 9-4 win. UNCG took an early 2-0 lead with one run in each of the first two innings. Drew Gehringer scored the first run when he singled, stole second, advanced to third, and then scored on a Pedro Leon single.

In the second inning Raymond Frias scored on a single by Brent O' Berry after being hit by a pitch to open the inning. Raymond Frias scored again off a Brent O' Berry single in the fourth inning to put UNCG up 3-1.

The Catamounts turned the game around in the fifth inning when they put up four runs to take a 5-3 lead. UNCG answered back with one run in the bottom of the inning, on a Trevor Edwards single that turned out to be the final Spartan run of the day. Western Carolina would add another run in the sixth and then three in the ninth to put the game out of reach and bring the final score to 9-4.

Greg Martin took the loss for the Spartans after allowing five runs on only four hits over five innings. Warren Slack closed the game out for the Spartans pitching the final four innings and allowing four runs on five hits.

The final game of the series saw the Catamounts continue to dominate the Spartans and complete the sweep of the series with a 9-4 victory. UNCG scored the first run of the game in the first inning when Drew Gehringer singled, advanced to second on a Corey Overholtzer bunt for hit, and scored on a Pedro Leon single to take the early lead. That would be the only lead for UNCG on the day as the Catamounts quickly surpassed the Spartans in the second with a two-run home run. Western Carolina would add two more runs in the third and fifth innings to take a 6-1 lead before UNCG scored again.

The Spartans tried to make the game interesting again, putting up three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to pull within 6-4. Corey Overholtzer and Pedro Leon both scored on a Ray Quinones single to right field with two outs. Rob Gilliam knocked in Quinones for the Spartans final run of the day with a double to right center. Western Carolina would score another run in the seventh and two in the ninth to stretch the lead to its final margin.

UNCG has now dropped seven of their last eight games, but will look to get back to winning ways at home this week. The Spartans host Campbell University on Tuesday in a rematch of a game UNCG lost 17-3, and host rival Appalachian State this weekend for the final home series of the regular season. The Spartans will then host UNC Asheville the next week and travel to Furman for the weekend.