UNCG sweeps VMI baseball in twinbill

A walk-off home run by Caleb Webster ended a dramatic doubleheader nightcap and gave the UNCG Spartans a doubleheader sweep of the VMI Keydets, 9-1 and 6-3, in the SoCon baseball opener for both teams Friday in Greensboro, N.C.

UNCG (16-5, 2-0 SoCon) pulled away in the eighth inning of game one, scoring five runs against the VMI (9-11, 0-2) bullpen, but the Keydets came back in game two. Zak Kent pitched a gem into the eighth, but an error with two outs in the inning allowed the tying run to score and Webster completed the comeback with a 10th-inning homer, his first of the year.

Game 1

In the opener, a two-run homer by Andrew Moritz gave UNCG the early lead and the home team maintained a 4-1 lead into the fifth. The Spartans plated five runs in the frame and went on to the 9-1 victory.

Josh Winder (1-3) battled through 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits. He walked one and struck out six. Matt Frisbee (4-0) allowed one run and struck out seven in six innings, and Jack Maynard struck out five in three innings for his second save.

Austin Embler led all offensive players in the opener with a 3-5, three-RBI contest.

Game 2

UNCG jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Kent, thanks to three straight hits, but the right-hander did not allow another hit until the sixth inning. In the meantime, the Keydets got on the board in the fourth on a RBI single by Will Malbon. Malbon then put the Keydets ahead, 3-2, with a RBI single during a two-run sixth, and that was the score until the eighth inning.

Tripp Shelton led off that frame with a walk, and after a sacrifice bunt, Matt Eagle relieved Kent. Webster singled, moving Shelton to third, but Moritz struck out. The next batter, Dillon Stewart, hit a grounder to second, but the ball was booted for an error, allowing Shelton to score the tying run. Webster then hit a three-run homer in the 10th to walk the game off.

In game two, Eagle (1-1) took the loss despite striking out five in 1 2/3 innings. He was charged with three runs on three hits. Reliever Andrew Wantz held the Keydets to one hit in 4 1/3 innings and moved to 3-0 with the win.

Kent got a hard-luck no decision, as he gave up three runs (two earned) in 7 1/3 innings. He held UNCG to four hits and issued just two walks.

Webster went 3 for 5 to lead the home team, while Matt Dunlevy and Malbon had three hits apiece for the Keydets.

The series finale between the two clubs is currently scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.