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Spartan sophomore pitcher Julien Peissel throws a strike against VMI. Peissel completed six innings giving up five hits and two runs. Photo by Joe Daniels/Carolina Peacemaker.The win extended the Spartans’ season-high winning streak to six games and locked in UNCG’s first SoCon series sweep of the season.
VMI opened the scoring with a solo home run to left from Justin Starke in the second at bat of the game during the first inning.
In the bottom half of the first, Mitchell Smith singled to right to score a pair before Luke Jenkins hit his second home run of the season, a three-run shot to left to make it 5-1.
The second inning saw the Spartans tack three more runs on to make it 8-1. The first run crossed the plate when Aidan Brewer tripled to the alley in right. Caleb Cozart then lifted his 20th home run of the season out to right, a two-run blast that made it 8-1.
The Keydets scored another run in the third frame to shave their deficit to six, 8-2, when Grayson Fitzwater hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Owen Prince from third.
Scoring resumed in the top of the eighth inning when Fitzwater hit a solo home run out to center, cutting the Spartans’ lead to five, 8-3.
In the bottom of the eighth, Tyler Steele hit his first career home run out to left to score another pair of runs.
VMI’s Trey Morgan clubbed another solo homer out to right in the ninth, but Brandon Hudson ultimately locked it down for a three-inning save.
Julien Peissel earned his first win of the season as UNCG’s starting arm. He pitched six complete innings with five hits and two runs against while walking two and striking out six.
Hudson pitched three innings in relief of Peissel and earned his second save of the season. He allowed three hits and two runs while walking and striking out one along the way.
Jenkins paced UNCG with three RBI via a three-run blast in the first.
Cozart, Smith and Steele finished with two RBI.
Seven of the Spartans’ nine hitters had at least one hit.
Julien Peissel: W, 1-2
Will Riley: L, 5-3
Brandon Hudson: Save, 2
UNCG: 26-16, 10-5 SoCon
VMI: 24-23, 6-9 SoCon
The Spartans head to Charleston, S.C., for their next action against The Citadel, beginning a three-game SoCon series on Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5.
