EARLY EXPLOSION SENDS NCCU TO THIRD STRAIGHT LOSS

 

GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina Central University dropped its third straight contest after allowing the host Spartans of UNC Greensboro to score 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning en route to a 17-8 victory on Monday night at the UNCG Baseball Stadium in Greensboro, N.C.

 

 

After a scoreless top of the first inning that saw Luis Diaz record his third triple of the year with two outs only to be left stranded, UNCG exploded in the bottom-half of the frame that all began on a Christian Wolfe double to left field.  From that point on the Spartans added four more hits before the first out was even recorded.  Designated hitter Trevor Edwards highlighted the entire frame with a two-run bomb to right center field which put UNCG up 10-0.

 

In that frame, the Spartans recorded nine hits that included three doubles and a home run.

 

 

Despite the large deficit, NCCU did not throw in the towel.  Four straight walks by starter Brandon Browne plated the first run to make it 10-1, forcing head coach Link Jarrett to bring in Dominique Vattuone.  After Alex Moore struck out, the maroon and gray rallied for three straight hits to finish the top of the second inning with six runs on three hits and cut the deficit to four at 10-6.

 

 

With one out in the third, Sam Fulmer walked two of the next three batters, mixed in with a two-RBI double by Benigno Marrero and an RBI single by Ray Crawford, UNCG added four more runs to the scoreboard and stretched the advantage out to 14-6

 

 

From that point on, the Spartans put in cruise control plating three runs in the sixth, as the Eagles scored two in the seventh on two wild pitches to plate the final runs of the night as UNCG took the first-ever meeting between these two programs 17-8.

 

 

Edwards and Marrero led the Spartan charge with three RBI as Wolfe and first baseman Lloyd Enzor recorded two RBI in the win. 

 

 

UNCG (15-13) became the first team to score double-digit runs on the Eagles this year and set an opponent season high with 16 hits.

 

 

NCCU (18-12) was led by Diaz who finished 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored, and two RBI.  Starter Terry McNabb managed to record one out in his first frustrating outing of the year allowing six hits and seven earned runs in taking the loss.

 

 

 

 

For the complete story, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com.