UNCG Baseball to Open SoCon Schedule by Hosting Mercer
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team will open up The Southern Conference (SoCon) slate with a seven-game home steak starting by hosting Mercer in a weekend series from Friday, March 22 to Sunday, March 24 at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Game One Info
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Baseball Stadium
When: Friday, March 22 | Noon
Live Stats | ESPN+
Game Two Info
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Baseball Stadium
When: Saturday, March 23 | 6 p.m.
Live Stats | ESPN+
Game Three Info
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Baseball Stadium
When: Sunday, March 24 | 1 p.m.
Live Stats | ESPN+
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
The Spartans most recently dropped a 3-2 contest across town at North Carolina A&T over an 11-inning battle on Tuesday, March 19 at the World War Memorial Stadium.
Caleb Cozart recorded his 10th home run of the season in the game, getting the Spartans on the board first.
The Spartans had nine hits to the Aggies’ six.
Cozart and Mitchell Smith led the Spartans with two hits apiece.
Smith paced the Spartans with seven total putouts.
Cozart, Brandon Hudson and Luke Thomas each threw two strikeouts apiece on the mound.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
UNCG will begin SoCon play with an 11-9 overall record.
The Spartans stand out nationally at 10th with 17 sacrifice bunts, 10th with 50 stolen bases and ninth with a 2.50 stolen bases per game average.
The Spartans are pacing the conference after collecting 38 HBP’s over the non-conference schedule.
UNCG is third in the SoCon over five categories: sacrifice bunts (17), stolen bases (50), stolen bases per game (2.50), triples (6), triples per game (0.30).
Cozart was named The Southern Conference (SoCon) Player of the Week and the Perfect Game Player of the Week after hitting four home runs in the season opening series against Fairfield. Cozart is ranked ninth in the country with his 10 home runs this season and is ninth with a .53 home runs per game average. In addition, Cozart is 18th nationally with a 1.58 RBI average per game and 23rd with 30 RBI’s on the season.
GC Jarman stands outs as 24th nationally with four sacrifice bunts, while Jeremy Wolf is ranked 21st nationally with 0.25 sacrifice bunts per game average.
Wolf also is currently ranked 16th in the country with a 0.69 average in stolen bases per game.
Julien Peissel was selected as the SoCon Pitcher of the Week after starting off on the mound in UNCG’s win over No. 1 Wake Forest on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
UNCG was tabbed to finish sixth in the 2024 SoCon Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Rob Ready was named to the Preseason All-SoCon second team.
The Spartans finished the 2023 season with a 25-34 overall record and 9-12 in SoCon play to earn the sixth spot in the SoCon Preseason Coaches’ Poll. UNCG concluded the season in the semifinal round of the SoCon Tournament, falling to No. 1 Samford, 9-5.
The Spartans welcome 22 newcomers for the 2024 season: 10 transfers and 12 freshmen.
18 Spartans return from last season for UNCG.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Mecer heads to Greensboro with a 13-7 overall record on the non-conference stanza.
The Bears most recently claimed a series sweep over Siena in Macon, Ga., last weekend.
Mercer currently stands out nationally at 30th with a 4.04 ERA, 31st with a .979 fielding percentage, 34th with 38 HBP and 25th with 13 sacrifice bunts.
Noah Best is ranked nationally at 24th with four sacrifice bunts on the season.
Bryant Olson stands out on the mound at second nationally with six saves on the season.
Ty Dalley is currently ranked 39th in the country with two triples this season.
Brandon Prince and Bradley Frye are leading the Bears with 18 runs.
Prince also paces Mercer with 40 total bases, 18 RBI and 26 hits.
Mercer was projected to finish second in the 2024 SoCon Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Jackson Cherry, Colton Cosper and Dalley all earned a spot on the 2024 Preseason All-SoCon Team.
SERIES HISTORY VS THE BEARS
The overall series between the Spartans and Bears is almost neck-and-neck with Mercer leading by two games, 16-14. UNCG claimed the last meeting, 9-5 coming in Greenville, S.C. at the SoCon Tournament on May 26, 2023.
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UP NEXT
The Spartans will continue at home by hosting No. 13 N.C. State for round two of the 2024 season at the UNCG Baseball Stadium on Tuesday, March 26 at 6 p.m.
Courtesy of Emma White
Strategic Communications Coordinator
UNC Greensboro