UNCG Baseball Sweeps Fairfield in Opening Weekend
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team’s Caleb Cozart hit two home runs on Sunday afternoon to send the Spartans past Fairfield, 12-7 for an opening weekend sweep.
With the win over the Stags on Sunday, this is the first 3-0 start for the Spartans since the 2019 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Matt Lussier led off the game with a triple down the right field line and then scored on a passed ball to put the Stags up 1-0 in the top of the first.
Fairfield added to its advantage in the third inning after Ethan Hibbard doubled to right center, scoring Matt Bergevin (2-0).
The Spartans scored for the first time in the fourth inning, recording two runs. With Trey Truitt on first base, Caleb Cozart stepped up to the plate to launch a homerun to left field for two RBI, tying the game at two runs apiece.
The Spartans and Stags were both busy at the plate in the fifth inning each adding five runs to the scoreboard (7-7).
For Fairfield, Matt Bucciero tripled a ball to right center for two RBI (4-2). TJ Schmalzle added another run for the Stags after singling to right field, scoring Bucciero (5-2). The Stags added two more runs and their last of the day off a home run to left field from Luke Nomura for two RBI (7-2).
In UNCG’s half of the inning, with runners on second and third a wild pitch was thrown from Fairfield, sending Luke Holland home (3-7). With bases loaded, Cozart stepped up to bat again for a single to center field for two RBI (5-7). With Matt Venuto next in the lineup, he grounded out to second base, scoring Trey (6-7). The final run of the inning came off a fly ball out to center field from Jake Ogden, sending Cozart across home plate to tie the game at seven runs apiece.
Both teams remained scoreless until the seventh inning when Ogden doubled to right center to score Trey and give the Spartans the 8-7 advantage. Later on, with Cozart on third base, Mitchell Smith was able to score Cozart, due to an error from Fairfield’s third basemen (10-7).
UNCG added two more runs in the eighth inning after Cozart launched his fourth home run of the season on a 1-2 count, scoring Trey from first, 12-7. Luke Thomson came in for relief in the top of the ninth and retired three straight batters to give UNCG its third-straight win during opening weekend.
NOTES:
The Spartans only had one error, while Fairfield had four.
Cozart and Trey led the Spartans with four runs apiece.
Cozart led both teams with six RBI and two homers.
Thompson tallied five strikeouts in the game in just three innings.
PITCHING RECORDS:
Danny Thompson Jr. 1-0
Blake Helmstetter, 0-1
Records:
UNCG: 3-0
Fairfield: 0-3
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UP NEXT
The Spartans are back at the UNCG Baseball Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. to host No. 1 Wake Forest. All regular season home games at the UNCG Baseball Stadium are free admission.
Courtesy of Emma White
Strategic Communications Coordinator
UNC Greensboro