April 29, 2000
Baseball Earns 300th Win With 4-2 SoCon Victory Over Furman
The baseball team earned the 300th win of its 10-year history with a 4-2 Southern Conference victory over Furman in the first game of a day/night doubleheader April 29 at home.
The Spartans (31-17, 18-6 SoCon) remain in second place in the league, one loss behind Georgia Southern (28-18, 17-5 SoCon), a 10-8 winner over Appalachian State in the first game of a doubleheader in Boone. A leadoff home run to left field by Kyle Tasco, his 11th of the year, in the third inning gave UNCG a 3-0 lead and proved to be the game-winning run. UNCG took a 2-0 lead in the second on a two-run triple down the right field line by Shane Schumaker. He added a double in the seventh and was two-for-four in the game.
Furman (20-23-1, 12-8-1 SoCon) loaded the bases on two singles and a walk off starter Ryan Gordon to start the seventh, but Taft Cable entered the game and struck out the side to end the threat. The Paladins pulled within one run, 3-2, in the eighth when Chris Valdes hit his ninth home run of the season, a two-run drive to left center. UNCG added one run in the bottom of the frame when Ramon Balderas reached on a throwing error by Paladin pitcher Brian Corcoran, allowing Chris Cook scored from third.
Gordon improved to 9-1 and struck out six in six innings to improve his strikeout total to 99. He gave up five hits and walked two. Cable earned his third save, giving up three hits and two runs while striking out five in three innings. He now has 93 strikeouts. Tom Mastny took the loss for Furman, falling to 4-3. He gave up three runs on eight hits in seven innings while striking out six.
Cole Hubka was two-for-four for the Paladins.
Mittendorf Grand Slam Breaks Open Close Game, Baseball Downs Furman 12-6
Chris Mittendorf hit a grand slam to right field in the eighth to break open a close game and the baseball team rolled to a 12-6 Southern Conference win over Furman in the nightcap of a day/night doubleheader April 29 at home. The win keeps UNCG (32-17, 19-6 SoCon) in second place in the league, percentage points ahead of The Citadel (30-17, 17-6 SoCon) and one loss behind Georgia Southern (29-18, 18-5 SoCon).
With the Spartans clinging to a 6-5 lead, Damin Hopkins singled and advanced to third when Furman pitcher Rusty Putnam threw a ball over the first baseman's head on a pickoff attempt. Hopkins scored on a single by Ramon Balderas on the next play. UNCG loaded the bases on two singles and an intentional walk to Jeff Smith, and Mittendorf ripped a pitch over the right field wall to stake the team to an 11-5 lead. The Spartans added one more run when Hopkins hit an RBI single to left center to plate Kyle Tasco. UNCG jumped out to a 5-1 lead after two innings, scoring four runs in the first highlighted by a two-run double to center by Jesse Martin. Furman (12-9-1, 20-24-1 SoCon) answered with three runs in the third and tied the game at five in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Barrett. The Spartans regained the lead in the bottom of the frame on a groundout by Nick Gonzalez to take a 6-5 advantage. Mittendorf was two-for-four with three runs and four RBI.
Shane Schumaker was three-for-three with three runs and two walks. Martin and Hopkins each had three hits, while Smith had two.Darin Phalines (3-4) earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits in six and two-thirds innings of relief.
For Furman, Chris Valdes and Cole Hubka each had two hits. Corey Etheridge (5-6) took the loss on the mound, allowing six runs on nine hits in six innings.