Baseball Drops Game Two at UNC Greensboro

Saturday, March 5

Greensboro, NC

2 PM

Army West Point

2-7

UNC Greensboro

8-2

Army West Point

UNC Greensboro

Baseball Drops Game Two at UNC Greensboro

March 05, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Army West Point baseball team jumped out to a 3-1 lead after three, but UNC Greensboro scored in each of the next five innings en route to a 10-6 victory on Saturday at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.

UNC Greensboro improved to 8-2 in 2016, while Army fell to 2-7.

"The guys came out today and worked hard," head coach Matt Reid said. "We got better in some areas and are improving as we go. With the youth and inexperience we have, it is important we learn the game and get better with every pitch."

Sophomore John McCarthy hit his second home run of the season and drove in three, while Alex Dickerson and Stu Schley each contributed two hits for Army. Kris Lindner, Trey Martin, Justin Reece and David Monge each recorded base knocks.

The Spartans totaled 15 hits, including six multiple-hit performances, led by Tripp Shelton's 3-for-5 effort. Jake Kauz went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, while Ryne Sigmon and Collin Woody had two RBI apiece.

Army starting pitcher Matt Ball worked around a one-out base hit in the first, before McCarthy staked him a 1-0 lead with a solo shot down the left field line.

Andrew Moritz's two-out triple followed Dillon Stewart's leadoff double in the home half of the second as the Spartans tied the game at 1-1.

The game wasn't tied long as Army pushed two runs across in its next trip to the plate. McCarthy's groundout to shortstop brought home Monge before Martin's single up the middle scored Lindner to make it 3-1 in favor of the Black Knights.

A fourth-inning double by Sigmon cut the deficit in half, before the Spartans took the lead for good in the fifth on a two-run single by Kusz. UNCG led 4-3 after five and added to the lead with a two-run single in the sixth and Kusz's solo homer in the seventh that made it 7-3.

Ball (0-2) surrendered four runs on eight hits, struck out five and walked three. Freshman Daniel Burggraaf replaced him in the fifth and was responsible for the two runs in the sixth before handing over to classmate Eamon Hannan. The righty pitched the final two innings, but gave up four runs.

Trailing 10-4 heading into the ninth, Army was able to score twice, but the rally was cut short as Chad Sykes was able to limit the damage there.

Bryce Hensley (3-0) earned the win after 6.0 innings of work. The righty allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits. Andrew Wantz pitched the seventh and eighth innings and limited Army to one run.

"Matt Ball pitched well and kept us in the game today and John McCarthy has been battling at the plate for us," Reid added. "UNCG is a tough club and they play the game very well. We will come back tomorrow ready to play ball."

Sunday's series finale begins at noon. Senior right-handed pitcher Garrison Franklin is slated to pitch for the Black Knights.