The GW baseball team started its season this weekend by losing two of three games at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
The Colonials (1-2) ruined the opening of the new UNCG Baseball Stadium for the Spartans (2-1) by winning the first game of the set, but they blew leads in both losses.
“We could have won all three games,” GW head coach Tom Walter said. “We just didn’t play defense. Some of that is from the first time being outdoors. It takes some time to get your feet underneath you, to get on ground balls and judge fly balls. We just had to get the rust off, which we did.”
GW travels across town Wednesday to take on Georgetown University at 2:30 p.m.
UNCG 10, GW 9
GW led 9-8 heading into the bottom of the eighth but gave up a single run in each of the final two innings to take the loss Sunday.
UNCG tied the game 9-9 in the eighth when GW reliever Clint Sells walked Bill Stone and then allowed his pinch-runner, Chris Perry, to score on a wild pitch.
GW was unable to score in the top of the ninth, and UNCG designated hitter Corey McDonald led off the bottom of the inning with a home run off GW’s Mike O’Connor (0-1).
The Colonials took a lead in the eighth with four runs, highlighted by Ryan Dacey’s two-run triple. Dacey went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, as did first baseman Joe Beichert, who homered and doubled.
UNCG 8, GW 5
Trailing 5-2, UNCG scored four runs in the fifth inning to take the lead for good Saturday.
O’Connor, working in relief of Ari Zagaris (0-1), issued a bases-loaded walk for the first run and gave up an RBI-single to Austin Grissom. Beichert then made an error that allowed two runs to score.
The Colonials led early with a run in the second inning on Beichert’s solo home run. They added three more in the top of the fourth to lead 4-0 before the Spartans started cutting into GW’s advantage.
GW 8, UNCG 3
The Colonials took an 8-3 lead into the seventh inning against the Spartans Friday, but rain postponed the end of the game until Saturday, when the Colonials held on to win.
After an hourlong rain delay Friday, GW scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take command of the game. A three-run triple by Dan Rouhier was the big hit in the inning for the Colonials.
“It’s encouraging that we definitely had the talent to play with this team,” said Walter, who said UNCG had 42 wins last season and is receiving votes in some collegiate baseball polls.
Adam Belicic (1-0) pitched six innings for GW and gave up all three runs in earning the win.
“All three of our starters gave us a chance to win,” Walter said. “When our starters do that, then they’ve done their job.”
