Baseball Falls to UNC Greensboro, 9-7, in Series Opener

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Greensboro, N.C. – Greg Feltes homered twice to lead UNC Greensboro to a 9-7 victory over the UAlbany baseball team in non-conference action on Tuesday, March 25 at UNCG Baseball Stadium.

Feltes gave the Spartans a one run lead in the first inning by blasting a two-out, 0-2 pitch over the left field fence. UAlbany responded by scoring twice in the top of the second frame. After junior catcher Ryan Gugel was hit by a pitch, freshman designated hitter Jamie Liebowitz launched a two-run shot to left.

UNC Greensboro (16-5) scored twice in the third and four times in the fourth to take control of the contest. With the bases loaded and two out in the third, catcher Sean Snell doubled down the left field line to plate Tim Carrier and Matt Gaski. The Spartans expanded their lead to 7-2 in the fourth on a two-run homer by Gaski and a solo shot by Feltes.

UAlbany (4-15-1) narrowed the gap to 7-6 with a run in the fifth and three in the sixth. The Great Danes loaded the bases in the fifth on singles by sophomores Ralph Rizzo and Brendan Rowland, sandwiched around a walk by junior Gary Pitcheralle. James White entered the game for the Spartans and was able to work out of the jam by inducing a run-scoring double play and ending the inning with a strikeout. Junior Sean Donovan singled and classmate Zac Halloran walked to lead off the sixth frame. Gugel followed by delivering a two-run double to right center to bring the Great Danes within 7-5. After an out and a single by Rizzo, Gugel crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

The Spartans pushed their lead back to two in the bottom of the frame on a homer to right field by Ricky Orton. In the eighth, Feltes added an insurance run by walking, stealing second, moving to third on a wild pitch and scoring on a second wild pitch.


Seniors Tom Zink and Mike Konstanty singled and doubled, respectively, to start the ninth inning. Zink cut the Great Danes’ deficit to two as he scored on a wild pitch, but Rob Gilliam recorded three straight strikeouts to close out the game.

Junior Josh Willimott picked up his first loss of the season, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing seven runs on eight hits. Junior Matthew Herrick allowed one run over 1.2 innings of work. Junior Sean Gregory struck out four, while yielding a run in 2.2 innings, ending a streak of 14 innings, over six appearances, without allowing a run. White recorded the win for UNCG, striking out one in a scoreless inning. Gilliam picked up the save for the Spartans, striking out three.

The Great Danes and the Spartans wrap-up their two-game series on Wednesday, March 26 with first pitch at 6:00 p.m.