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GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Samford University baseball team suffered its first defeat in nearly four weeks Friday as the Bulldogs came up short in a 7-5 road decision against the UNCG Spartans in a Southern Conference showdown held at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
 
With the loss, Samford (24-15, 10-3 SoCon) had its historic 13-game winning streak snapped. The Bulldogs' victorious stretch proved to be its longest in 60 years, dating all the way back to 1958, and their second-longest in school history. Samford's defeat was its first since March 25, which was a hard-fought setback against ETSU, 2-1.
 
UNCG (27-10, 8-2 SoCon) improved to 18-6 when playing at home this season. The Spartans trailed 5-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but rallied to score four runs on four hits in the decisive frame. UNCG's key sixth-run rally gave the Spartans a 7-5 advantage in the contest.
 
Samford's Cody Shelton started the game on the mound and turned in a solid effort. The Bulldogs' senior right-hander from Brentwood, Tennessee, only allowed three runs in five full innings of action and left the game with a 5-3 advantage. Shelton, a preseason All-SoCon selection, also earned five strikeouts in the contest.
 
UNCG's Cesar Trejo proved to be the most valuable offensive performer in the game. He turned in a 3-for-4 outing at the plate and drove in four of the Spartans' seven runs, including a pivotal two-RBI single in the sixth-inning rally.
 
Caleb Webster, UNCG's third baseman, also turned in a solid performance with two RBI and a run scored.
 
Samford jumped out to a 5-3 advantage by scoring runs in the first and second innings, as well as a pair in the fifth frame on a deep two-run homer to left field from Brooks Carlson. The Bulldogs later tacked on a run in the top of the sixth inning to take its final lead of the game, 5-3.
 
Eight of the Bulldogs' nine starters hit safely in the contest, but long innings and rallies were hard to come by. Samford's Troy Dixon and Sam Teague both posted two-hit outings, while Branden Fryman, Austin Edens, Ayrton Schafer, Max Pinto and Anthony Mulrine added key base hits.
 
UNCG's starting pitcher Matt Frisbee (8-0) remained undefeated on the season, while Jack Maynard came on in relief for his eighth save of the year, a three-inning outing.
 
The Bulldogs' Josh Rich (1-4) and Billy Creger both came on in relief of Shelton. Creger, Samford's talented true freshman lefty from Franklin, Tennessee, struck out four Spartans and didn't allow a single run in the final two innings of the game.
 
The Samford University baseball team will next be in action Saturday at 2 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs square off against the UNCG Spartans in the second game of this weekend's series being held at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
 
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