GREENSBORO, N.C. — In the opener of a three-game Southern Conference baseball series on Friday evening, the Elon Phoenix dropped a 5-1 decision against the UNCG Spartans at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
The loss was the first for the Phoenix (25-17, 11-8 SoCon) on a Friday night this season. The maroon and gold had been 8-0 on Friday nights.
UNCG (18-19, 5-8) scored the game’s first run in the last of the second when Jordan McDonald singled home Hunter King.
The Spartans increased their lead to 5-0 thanks to two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings before Elon got on the board in the eighth as Casey Jones drove in Andy Moore with a single.
Elon threatened to score in the game’s opening frame. With one out, Quinn Bower singled, stole second and went to third on a Jones single. After Jones swiped second with two down, UNCG starter Ryan Clark escaped by striking out the next hitter to end the inning.
Lucas Bakker (5-2) was tagged with the loss after he allowed three runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings. He fanned five Spartan hitters.
Clark (3-4) took the win. He gave up one run on six hits in 7.2 innings.
The two will meet for game two of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Elon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 7 0
UNCG 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 0 X 5 9 0
Win – Clark (3-4). Loss – Bakker (5-2). Save – None.
Umpires – HP: Jeremy Parker 1B: Darrell Arnold 3B: Ben Frazier
Start: 7:00 pm Time: 2:39 Attendance: 328
Weather: Ptly Cldy, 70 deg., Winds:W 12
Betts faced 1 batter in the 8th.