GREENSBORO, NC The UNC Greensboro softball team picked up its first Southern Conference doubleheader win over backyard rival, Elon on Saturday afternoon. The Spartans took game one, 4-5 in extra innings and completed the doubleheader sweep with a 2-0 win in the late game.

UNCG (17-30, 4-10 SoCon) was led by upperclassmen Mary Greenway and Lyndsay Mouse. Rightfielder Greenway was 4-of-7 from the plate with one run scored while Mouse continued her clutch hitting as of late and was 3-of-6 on the afternoon. Mary Catherine Vercoe also extended her hitting streak to five games with hits in both games.

The Spartan pitchers both played excellent. Angel picked up her second consecutive win after allowing four runs on nine hits in 8.0 innings of work while striking out nine. Harrell picked up the shutout after allowing no runs on three hits in 6.0 innings of action.

The Spartans got on the board first in the early game courtesy of two consecutive hits from Mouse and shortstop Kaitlin Merkt. Mouse got things started with a single to right center followed by a Merkt single to left field to give UNCG two base runners.  Elon pitcher Pam DelPizzo loaded the bases after hitting Vercoe and an RBI single from right fielder Brittany Ausley plated Mouse and Merkt to give the Spartans the early advantage.

 Elon would respond with two runners of their own in the fourth innings. Shortstop Tracey Dahlen hit a leadoff bunt single and put another runner on when Allison Hartman was hit by a pitch. The Phoenix loaded the bases when Hannah Angel walked Melanie Helterbran. Elon pushed two runs across with a RBI double from Rebecca Rijavec to notch the score at 2-2.

With the game tied at 3-3 at the end of seven innings the game went into extra innings. Elon struck first and took a 4-3 lead. Helterbran hit a leadoff double in the top of the eighth and an RBI double from catcher Patti Weber plated Jaymie Shanahan, who pinch ran for Helterbran.

The bottom half of the lineup came up big for the Spartans. After Brittany Ausley reach on a walk, designated player Whitney Miller got things going with a single, giving UNCG two base runners. A sacrifice bunt from Whitney Sirois moved both runners and a RBI single from freshman Kristen Gabel brought Ausley home and Olenderski scored the game-winner on an error from Elon's second baseman, giving the Spartans the win.

In the late game UNCG scored two runs in the first inning and managed to hold Elon to only three hits in the en route to the doubleheader sweep.

Greenway, who was 3-of-4 in the second game, hit a leadoff single to start off the first inning. The Spartans then used singles from Mouse and Vercoe to load the bases and an RBI single from Whitney Miller plated both runners.

Elon had a chance to cut into the lead in the second inning. Rijavec and Weber had back-to-back singles and were able to put runners in scoring position but the threat ended with a ground out to close the inning. Elon wasn't able to get anything else going and UNCG played solid defense to take the second game.  

The weekend series concludes on Sunday with a single game. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm at UNCG Softball Stadium.  

AGATE:

Game One

Elon................                         000 200 11 -  4  9  1      (21-22, 9-7 SoCon)

UNC Greensboro......     200 010 02 -  5  8  2      (17-30, 3-10 SoCon)

Pitchers: Elon - Pam DelPizzo. UNC Greensboro - Hannah Angel.

Win-Hannah Angel(9-13)  Loss-Pam DelPizzo(6-7)  T-2:18  A-0

Game Two

Elon................                         000 000 0 -  0  3  0      (21-23, 9-8 SoCon)

UNC Greensboro......     200 000 X -  2 11  0      (18-30, 4-10 SoCon)

Pitchers: Elon - Melanie Helterbran. UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell.

Win-Amber Harrell(9-16)  Loss-Melanie Helterbran(7-8)  T-1:50  A-237

- UNCG -