UNCG Baseball Hits Road for SoCon Battle at Western Carolina
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team will play its fourth Southern Conference (SoCon) series this weekend at Western Carolina from Friday, April 12 to Sunday, April 14 at Ronnie G. Childress Field at Hennon Stadium.
Attached photo of Aidan Brewer (credit Emma White)
Game One Info
When: Friday, April 12 | 5:00 p.m.
Where: Ronnie G. Childress Field at Hennon Stadium | Cullowhee, N.C.
Live Stats | ESPN+
Game Two Info
When: Saturday, April 13 | 2:00 p.m.
Where: Ronnie G. Childress Field at Hennon Stadium | Cullowhee, N.C.
Live Stats | ESPN+
Game Three Info
When: Sunday, April 14 | 1:00 p.m.
Where: Ronnie G. Childress Field at Hennon Stadium | Cullowhee, N.C.
Live Stats | ESPN+
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
UNCG most recently dominated in an 11-1 victory over Gardner-Webb in seven innings on Tuesday, April 9 at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Hunter Shuey threw a career high seven strikeouts in his four innings of action.
Mayson Dear matched his career high of three strikeouts on the mound.
GC Jarman and Mitchell Smith led the way with three runs apiece.
Smith paced both teams with four hits and three RBI.
Smith was the only player in the game to record a triple.
Three different Spartans recorded a stolen base with Jarman leading the way with two stolen bases.
Jacob Dilley earned a career high of 10 putouts on the field.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
UNCG enters this weekend’s series with a 17-14 overall record as well as a 5-4 conference mark for a tie at fourth in the SoCon.
After winning two out of three games in a pair of three-game series to open their conference schedule against Mercer (March 22-24) and East Tennessee State (March 28-30), the Spartans dropped their first SoCon road series at Wofford last weekend. UNCG won Friday’s series opener at Wofford 12-4 before falling 8-3 on Saturday and dropping Sunday’s finale, 8-7.
As a team, UNCG is ranked in the top-30 nationally over three categories, including tied for 16th in sacrifice bunts (25), 21st in stolen bases (69) and 19th in stolen bases per game (2.23).
Rob Ready was named the SoCon Pitcher of the Week after the team’s SoCon opening series win against Mercer when he threw for a complete game with a career high nine strikeouts in game two against the Bears.
Caleb Cozart was named the 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.
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. Peissel is leading the team on the mound with 33 strikeouts.
UNCG was tabbed to finish sixth in the 2024 SoCon Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
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.
Eighteen Spartans return from last season for UNCG.
SCOUTING THE CATAMOUNTS
Western Carolina is set to host UNCG while owning an 18-12 overall record and 4-2 record so far in SoCon action for third in the conference.
WCU has won seven of its last eight contests dating back to March 28.
The Catamounts are coming off a 9-5 victory over Presbyterian in Clinton, S.C., last Tuesday.
WCU upended Gardner-Webb, 6-4, in Boiling Springs, N.C., back on April 2 just over a week before UNCG took down the Runnin’ Bulldogs, 11-1, in seven innings on Tuesday night in Greensboro.
Nate Stocum paces the Catamounts while ranking second in the SoCon with 13 home runs and tied for sixth with 36 RBI.
Hayden Friese leads WCU with a .348 batting average, which ranks seventh in the SoCon.
Eleven different pitchers have made starts this season for WCU, leading the way in innings pitched is Ryan White who owns a 3-1 record with 32 innings pitched and 20 strikeouts.
Gavin Mortenson is second on the Catamounts with 31.1 innings pitched. He owns a 3.16 ERA and .195 opponent batting average with 32 strikeouts.
WCU was voted to finish fourth in the SoCon Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
SERIES HISTORY VS THE CATAMOUNTS
UNCG is leading in the overall series against Western Carolina at 47-38. The Spartans went 2-1 in its series against the Catamounts last season in Greensboro. The two team’s most recent meeting came in the 2023 SoCon Tournament when UNCG earned a 4-3 victory.
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UP NEXT
Following this weekend’s series, the Spartans will take a short trip to Elon on Tuesday, April 16 at 6 p.m. in Elon, N.C., at Latham Park.
Courtesy of Connor Wachtel
Strategic Communications Coordinator
UNC Greensboro