JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team was handed a 17-3 loss in seven innings by the East Tennessee State (ETSU) Buccaneers on Friday evening during action in The Southern Conference (SoCon) slate at Thomas Stadium.

The Spartans and Buccaneers traded a run each to get the scoring started in the second inning. After Luke Jenkins doubled for UNCG, he was bunted over to third by Jose Perez and then scored after he tagged up on a sacrifice lineout to the shortstop by Jacob Budzik. Cooper Torres then homered for ETSU in the bottom half of the second to even the score, 1-1.

ETSU broke the game open by scoring 10 runs on six hits with help from one error during the bottom of the third inning to take an 11-1 lead. Blake Jacklin plated the first three runs with a bases-clearing triple. Cody Miller then hit an RBI single to short to score Jacklin. Two batters later, Grant Gallagher hit a two-run double to left. The surge ended for the Buccaneers after Axel Melendez singled to score two runs before scoring on a sacrifice fly hit to center by Jamie Palmese.

Budzik singled to left to score Jenkins again in the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 11-2. However, Gallagher countered with a two-run home run to make it 13-2 Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers scored three more runs on two hits in the fifth frame to extend their lead to 16-2 before scoring one more time in the sixth to cap their run total at 17.

UNCG's Jeremy Wolf launched a no-doubt solo home run out to left in the top of the seventh, but the Buccaneers held the Spartans in check after that to lock down a 17-3 victory in seven innings via the 10-run rule.

NOTES:

• Budzik drove in Jenkins twice for the Spartans' first two runs.
• Wolf hit a solo homer, his second home run of the season, for UNCG's third run.
• Jenkins and Wolf each had three hits to lead the team.
• Jenkins finished the game with two RBI.
• Sam Murchison struck out five before working into the third inning.
• Austin Walsh and Jonathan Sendziak made their debuts on the mound for UNCG in relief.
• UNCG struck out less than ETSU by a 9-4 margin.

PITCHING RECORDS:
Carter Fink: W, 5-1
Sam Murchison: L, 4-3

RECORDS:
UNCG: 12-17, 2-2 SoCon
ETSU: 22-7, 3-1 SoCon

PURCHASE UNCG GEAR
Click here for your one-stop shop for all of your official UNCG merchandise! From apparel to accessories, there is something for everyone!

UP NEXT
The Spartans will take on the Buccaneers again Saturday to close out the three-game weekend series with a doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m. at Thomas Stadium in Johnson City, Tennessee.