FURMAN BASEBALL DEFEATS UNCG 7-2
GREENSBORO, NC -- Furman's four runs in the top of the first inning proved to be enough as the Paladins hung on to defeat UNCG 7-2 on Sunday afternoon in Southern Conference baseball action at UNCG Stadium.
The Paladins' Clint Hill led off the game with a single to left field off Spartan starter Andy Grader. After a fielder's choice, Craig Caudill advanced to third on a Derek Norman single to right field. Ryan Presnell followed with a walk before Caudill scored on a wild pitch to put the Paladins up 1-0. Paladins' first baseman Dominic Frankey completed the innings scoring with a three run blast to left center. Grader gave up all four runs before being relieved by Mike McClain, who got the Spartans out of the first inning.
Neither team could muster a run until the Spartans struck for a single run in the fifth when Craig Whalen hit a solo home run down the left field line to make the score 4-1 in favor of the Paladins.
Furman would then score one run in each of the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, while UNCG put up another single run in the bottom of the eighth.
Jeff Stovall earned the victory for the Paladins after pitching 8.0 innings and scattering two runs and six hits. Stovall is now 5-2 for the season.
Grader picked up the loss for the Spartans, slipping to 0-1 on the season.
With the win, Furman improves to 21-29 on the season and 12-15 in SoCon action. UNCG falls to 30-19 and 16-10 in league play.
UNCG returns to the diamond next Saturday, May 17, with a three-game series against Georgia Southern in Statesboro, GA. Furman will host Georgia State on Tuesday, May 14, at 7 pm.