GREENSBORO, N.C. – Georgia Southern’s offense exploded while the pitching staff came through in the clutch as the Eagles defeated UNC Greensboro 9-2 Sunday afternoon. The Eagles snapped a seven-game losing streak, their longest since 1999, improving to 17-16 overall and 1-5 in the Southern Conference.
A rain delay kept the teams from taking infield practice before the game. That showed when both teams combined for three errors in the first three innings. UNCG put the first two runners on in the second inning but Aaron Eubanks recorded a strikeout and two flyouts to get out of the inning.
In the third, Eubanks allowed a one-out single and issued two walks to load the bases. Eubanks got Greg Feltes on a foul out then Sam Snell
lined out to shortstop Brian Pierce to end the inning.
Georgia Southern grabbed an early lead when Chris Shehan singled to start the frame. A.J. Wirnsberger dropped down his third sacrifice bunt of the series, advancing Shehan into scoring position. Mike Economos singled down the left field line for a 1-0 lead. Designated hitter Justin Klinger , playing in just his third game this year and making his first start, hammered a shot over the left field fence. It was his first home run and fourth RBI this season and it put the Eagles ahead 3-0.
“We got back to basics today, back to what we do best which is play and
have fun,” said Klinger. “We’ve been looking for a spark, really from anyone at that point, and it just came in a situation where I was looking for a certain pitch and when I got it, it sparked our team. That gave us a three-run lead, and any lead was a big lead for us.”
In the fifth inning. Freshman Brett Maxwell — making his second start of not only the series but this season — drilled a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for his first collegiate home run and a 4-0 lead.
The Eagles received another key hit in the sixth. Economos singled to
start the inning, then Wes McCall hit Griffin Benedict and pinch-hitter Matt Miller in consecutive at-bats. Pierce narrowly missed a grand slam but wound up with a bases clearing double, extending the lead to 7-1. Benedict ripped a two-run triple with
two outs in the seventh inning making it 9-1. It was the first career triple for the sophomore catcher.
Economos tallied three hits and scored three runs. Pierce recorded three RBI while Klinger and Benedict drove in two runs each.
Georgia Southern returns home next weekend, hosting Elon in a three-game series.
A rain delay kept the teams from taking infield practice before the game. That showed when both teams combined for three errors in the first three innings. UNCG put the first two runners on in the second inning but Aaron Eubanks recorded a strikeout and two flyouts to get out of the inning.
In the third, Eubanks allowed a one-out single and issued two walks to load the bases. Eubanks got Greg Feltes on a foul out then Sam Snell
lined out to shortstop Brian Pierce to end the inning.
Georgia Southern grabbed an early lead when Chris Shehan singled to start the frame. A.J. Wirnsberger dropped down his third sacrifice bunt of the series, advancing Shehan into scoring position. Mike Economos singled down the left field line for a 1-0 lead. Designated hitter Justin Klinger , playing in just his third game this year and making his first start, hammered a shot over the left field fence. It was his first home run and fourth RBI this season and it put the Eagles ahead 3-0.
“We got back to basics today, back to what we do best which is play and
have fun,” said Klinger. “We’ve been looking for a spark, really from anyone at that point, and it just came in a situation where I was looking for a certain pitch and when I got it, it sparked our team. That gave us a three-run lead, and any lead was a big lead for us.”
In the fifth inning. Freshman Brett Maxwell — making his second start of not only the series but this season — drilled a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for his first collegiate home run and a 4-0 lead.
The Eagles received another key hit in the sixth. Economos singled to
start the inning, then Wes McCall hit Griffin Benedict and pinch-hitter Matt Miller in consecutive at-bats. Pierce narrowly missed a grand slam but wound up with a bases clearing double, extending the lead to 7-1. Benedict ripped a two-run triple with
two outs in the seventh inning making it 9-1. It was the first career triple for the sophomore catcher.
Economos tallied three hits and scored three runs. Pierce recorded three RBI while Klinger and Benedict drove in two runs each.
Georgia Southern returns home next weekend, hosting Elon in a three-game series.
