Baseball Drops Second Straight Game to UNC Greensboro, 7-3

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Greensboro, N.C. – Greg Smith threw six shutout innings without allowing a hit and Pedro Leon went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in to lead UNC Greensboro past UAlbany, 7-3, at the UNCG Baseball Stadium on Saturday, March 21. The Spartans took advantage of an infield error by the Great Danes to plate five runs, including four unearned, in the bottom of the third inning and never looked back.

After an RBI double to left center by Trevor Edwards in the bottom of the first inning gave UNC Greensboro (6-9) a one-run advantage, the Spartans padded their lead with five more in the third. Quinones homered to start the frame. With two outs and the bases loaded, Brent O’Berry reached on an error by a Great Dane infielder which plated a run. The defensive miscue proved to be costly, as Leon hit a bases-clearing double to left on the next play. Only one of the five runs in the stanza was charged to UAlbany pitcher Zach Kraham.

Smith only issued one walk in four separate frames before he was relieved by Matt Parish in the seventh. Brendan Rowland led off the top half of the stanza against the new pitcher with a triple, and came home two plays later when Sean Donovan grounded out to first.

After the Spartans added one more run in the eighth, UAlbany had one last chance to rally in the top of the ninth. Rowland led off with a single up the middle, and scored the second Great Dane run two plays later when Donovan singled to center. Donovan advanced two bases on a pair of wild pitches, and was plated on Ralph Keppler grounder to second. Adam Cutspec came in as a pinch hitter with two down to try and keep the rally going, but grounded out to end the ballgame.

UAlbany’s Kraham, who pitched the first three innings, took the loss on the hill and fell to 0-1 this spring. He struck out four, issued three walks and only two of the six runs he surrendered were earned. Ryan White pitched three scoreless innings in relief, while Alexander Beaulieu gave up one run which was earned in 1.2 innings of work. Chris Hackett came in and struck out the only batter he faced for the final out in the eighth.

UNC Greensboro’s Smith only allowed four walks in separate innings to post the victory and improve to 2-2 this year. Parish gave up one run which was earned in two innings of relief. Zach Furl started the ninth, surrendering two runs and recording one out before Warren Slack sealed the win by inducing two groundouts.

UAlbany (2-12) and UNC Greensboro will conclude the three-game series in Greensboro, N.C. on Sunday, March 22 at 1 p.m.

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UAlbany 000 000 102 3 3 1

UNC Greensboro 105 000 01x 7 11 1



UAlbany: Zach Kraham, Ryan White (4), Alexander Beaulieu (7), Chris Hackett (8) and Ryan Gugel.

UNC Greensboro: Greg Smith, Matt Parish (7), Zach Furl (9), Warren Slack (9) and Trevor Edwards.