Box Score | Hennon Interview

STATESBORO, Ga. - Ryan Clark threw 7.2 solid innings and Jake Hall homered twice as the UNCG Spartans defeated the Georgia Southern Eagles 6-2 in the opener of a three-game Southern Conference series.

Clark allowed a two-run homer in the first inning to Aaron Mizell but held Georgia Southern (24-12, 7-6) scoreless from the second inning until being lifted in the eighth after allowing a single to Stryker Brown.

"They got a couple of big home runs from their catcher to give Clark the lead, and he did a good job mixing up his pitches tonight," Head Coach Rodney Hennon said.

Clark (2-4) earned the win after Tyler Frazier coaxed a ground ball to third base and struck out two batters in the ninth for his second save of the season. Clark allowed eight hits, three walks and struck out seven batters on 116 pitches.

Clark retired nine-straight batters from the first inning until Chase Griffin laced a double down the left field line in the fourth inning. Griffin was left stranded, however, after Brown flew out to left field. The runner left stranded was the second of 11 on the day for the Eagles.

The victory snapped UNCG's (16-16, 3-6) five-game losing skid in SoCon play.

GSU had two reach on base hits in the fifth inning but left both stranded after Aaron Palmer struck out and Mizell flew out to right field. The Eagles had two on to start the sixth inning, but Ryan Cleveland was picked off at second base and Ben Morgan struck out to end the inning.

GSU left base runners in every frame from the fourth inning on, including two in both the eighth and ninth innings.

"Clark made some quality pitches and we were unable to get the big hit. We hurt ourselves on the bases there in the sixth," Hennon said.

Sam Howard retired the first six batters he faced before allowing a lead off single to L.J. Kalawala and a home run to Jake Hall. Hall hit two on the day, including the go-ahead solo shot in the fifth inning and also singled in the seventh inning.

Howard (4-4) left after five innings and took the loss after allowing three runs. The junior lefthander allowed five hits, walked two, struck out four and threw 45 of his 63 pitches for strikes.

"UNCG played good sound clean baseball tonight, and we didn't do enough things as a team to find a way to win," Hennon said.

The Spartans extended a one-run lead late in the game with three runs over the final two innings. Nin Marrero plated a one-out double form Hunter King in the eighth inning and back-to-back doubles from Zac MacAneney and Sean Guite in the ninth drove in two runs.

The three-game series continues tomorrow with a 4:30 p.m. first pitch. Fans attending the Blue-White spring football game can pick up a voucher for $5 admission to Saturday's baseball game. Josh Wirsu will take the hill for the Eagles, and the Spartans will counter with Max Povse.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics. To purchase tickets call 1-800-GSU-WINS.

Notes: UNCG snapped a five-game losing streak in SoCon play with a 6-2 win last night... The win for the Spartans was the third-straight over the Eagles... The loss for the Eagles was just the fifth for GSU at home... GSU left 11 men on base including at least one runner from the fourth inning on... Georgia Southern has scored just two runs in their last two games.
GSU is now 0-9 when scoring less than three runs... The Eagles have homored in their last two games but are now 16-4 after losing both games... Garrett Chapman extended his reached base streak to 12 games... Kody Adams extended his hitting streak to four games... Sam Howard allowed three or more runs for the fourth-straight start and fell to 4-4 on the season after allowing three runs... Howard gave up his first home run of the season in the loss and walked two batters for the second-straight game.