11-Run Eighth Inning Propels UNCG Baseball Past Mercer, 18-13
MACON, Ga.– The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team bounced back against Mercer on Saturday afternoon taking an 18-13 victory at OrthoGeorgia Park in Southern Conference (SoCon) play. With the win the Spartans tied the series.
UNCG’s 18 total runs in the game was the most since a 23-0 victory against NC A&T on March 9, 2021.
This was the first time that the Spartans have scored double digit runs in an inning since scoring 10 runs against High Point on April 27, 2021, where they won 12-3. The 11 runs were the most runs since the Spartans scored 13 runs in an inning against Lafayette on March 16, 2017, when UNCG won 25-7.
UNCG is now 19-24 overall and 6-8 in the SoCon, while Mercer is 27-17 overall and 9-5 in the conference.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After six innings of back and forth, Mercer had a 5-4 lead. Within those six innings, Kennedy Jones hit his ninth home run of the season and 20th homer of his career in the top of the third.
UNCG regained the lead in the top of the seventh, as three-straight singles drove Bradley Bott in to tie the game at five and then Dallas Callahan’s fielder’s choice scored Daniel Cerda from third for a 6-5 advantage.
The one-run lead was short-lived, as the Bears bounced back with eight runs on six hits in the bottom of the seventh. Seven of the eight runs happened with two outs, and three of the eight runs were from Jozsef Rohrbacher’s three-run home run to right field. Mercer had a seven-run cushion in the seventh, 13-6.
The Spartans’ bats were not dead, as they exploded with an 11-run eighth inning. They utilized eight hits, including six singles, one double, and one home run, as well as three walks to score an obscene amount of runs. Mercer went through four pitchers that inning. Bott hit his second home run of his career, a three-run blast over the right center wall to cut the deficit to two, 13-11. He later cleared the bases in the same inning with a two-out three-run double down the right field line for a four-run lead, 17-13.
Luke Thomas came in relief for the Spartans in the bottom of the eighth, allowing just two hits and stranding those two runners.
UNCG squeezed in one more insurance run in the top of the ninth as Zack Budzik flew out to right field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Jeremy Wolf from third for an 18-13 advantage.
Thomas retired three-straight batters in the bottom of the frame, including back-to-back strike outs to earn his third win.
NOTES:
Kennedy Jones went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI.
Dallas Callahan went 2-for-5 with two RBI.
Rowan Watt went 1-for-1 with one run scored, one RBI, and one walk.
Zack Budzik went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI, and one walk.
GC Jarman swung 4-for-6 with two runs scored and four RBI.
Bradley Bott went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a game-best six RBI.
On the mound, Luke Thomas went 2.0 innings allowing just two hits and striking out three batters in his third win of his career.
PITCHING RECORDS
Luke Thomas: W, 3-4
Holton McGaha: L, 4-2
ON DECK
The Spartans and the Bears will play the final game of the series, tomorrow, Sunday, April 30 with a first pitch slated for 1:00 p.m. at OrthoGeorgia Park.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro