May 7, 2006

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - UNC Greensboro scored five runs in the fourth inning to avoid a weekend sweep and hand Western Carolina a 10-6 loss Sunday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. The Spartans (20-28, 9-12 Southern Conference) and Catamounts (27-21, 13-11 SoCon) saw the lead go back and forth over the first two innings until UNCG took command in the fourth.

The Spartans were led by Jermaine Mitchell with three hits, while Greg Feltes, David Adams and Roly Gonzalez each had two RBI.

Feltes got UNCG started on the right foot, hitting a leadoff triple and scoring on the play thanks to a throwing error. The second hitter of the inning, Adams, also got a hit, but Western got a line out, a pick off and a fly out to limit the damage.

Western responded in the home half with two runs. Tim Hallam reached on an infield single and moved to second due to a throwing error on the play. Barrett Shaft followed with a single past the first baseman, putting runners on the corners. A wild pitch allowed Hallam to score and put Shaft on third. Jonathan Greene then plated Shaft with a single through the left side of the infield.

The Spartans regained the advantage (3-2) in the second. With two out and two on, Gonzalez hit his first triple of the season, driving in Wes McCall and Adam Deleo.

Once again, the Catamounts responded in the home half to take a 5-3 lead. Mitchell Hatley had a leadoff double and Donnie Wilson put runners on the corners with an infield single. Ryan Wilson plated Hatley with an RBI double and D. Wilson scored on Andy John's RBI ground out. With R. Wilson now on third, Hallam delivered an RBI ground out to short.

UNCG threatened in the third as the first two batters walked off new WCU pitcher Tyler Johnson. However, Johnson got a strikeout and a double play on a line drive to the WCU shortstop.

The Spartans kept the pressure on in the fourth, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring five runs for an 8-5 lead. McCall had a leadoff walk and, with one out, Shane Thompson, who had two hits, singled. Gonzalez loaded the bases with a single to center. Feltes followed with a two-run double and Adams had a sacrifice fly to left. Mitchell had an infield single, moving Feltes to third. Sean Snell, who had two hits, brought home the fifth run of the inning with a single to right.

Western was able to cut into its deficit in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Hallam had a bloop single and scored one batter later on Shaft's double to center.

Mitchell gave UNCG a three-run cushion once again in the top of the sixth with a two-out, solo home run to right, his fifth round-tripper of the season. In the eight, the Spartans did some more two-out damage, going up 10-6. Thompson had a leadoff single and, with two outs, scored on an Adams' single. Adams took second on the throw home and nearly gave UNCG an 11-6 lead, but he was thrown out at home on a single to center by Mitchell.

Jonathan Nichols, who relieved Clay Gibson to start the third inning, pitched 3.2 innings to pick up his first win of the season, improving to 1-2. He scattered six hits with one run, one walk and three strikeouts. Greg Martin pitched well in relief and was in line for the save, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings before Clinton McKinney came on to get the final two outs of the game.

Western's Shaft had three hits and an RBI, while Hallam and Hatley each had two hits. Johnson suffered the loss, falling to 3-2 on the season. He allowed six hits and five runs with three walks and a strikeouts in 1.2 innings.

The Catamounts will return to action on Wednesday, going to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteeers. First pitch is set for 7:00 pm. (This game was added to the schedule in mid-March due a rain out.)