LEXINGTON, S.C. – The UNCG softball team earned two comeback victories against Iona, 8-5, and a thriller versus George Washington, 15-13, to sweep Day One of the SC Blue/Gold Challenge in Lexington, S.C. 

The Spartans improve to 7-3 on the season and have won five-straight games. Iona dropped both games to start its season and George Washington falls to 5-8. 

UNCG 8, Iona 5

In game one, UNCG scored eight runs off 10 hits coming back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Iona, 8-5.

Freshman pitcher Alicia Bazonski (Sheffield, Mass./Mount Everett) improved to 3-0 on the season throwing another complete game. Bazonski allowed five runs (four earned) in the win and had a career-high seven strikeouts. 

Four UNCG hitters had multiple hits with junior Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) going 3-for-3 with two RBI. Redshirt freshman Sidney Grkman (Salisbury, N.C./Jesse Carson) was 2-for-4 with a solo home run and three RBI.

Senior Tatiana Alcala (Oxnard, Calif./Pacifica) and junior Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) each finished with two hits apiece.

Iona took a 3-0 lead in the second inning off three hits and a key error. Lauren Filardi had a RBI single and Katie Newton followed with a two-run single to give the Gaels a 3-0 advantage.

The Spartans tied the game at 3-3 in the third inning after a key two-run double from Nicole Thomas. Lindsay Thomas tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right field. 

In the top of the fourth inning, Grkman lead off the inning with a solo home run to left field to give UNCG a 4-3 lead.

The Blue and Gold tacked on four insurance runs in the fifth inning off three hits. Alcala doubled to centerfield to start the inning and scored off a fielder's choice from Lindsay Thomas. Grkman picked up two more runs batted in off a two-run single. Freshman Alexis Overdiep (Apex, N.C./Apex) had a sacrifice fly for the fourth RBI of the inning.

Iona answered with two runs off one hit in the fifth inning to cut the Spartans' lead to 8-5. Filardi had a RBI groundout and Newton had a RBI infield single in the frame.

Bazonski ended the game with a quick 1-2-3 seventh inning off a swinging strikeout and two groundouts.

UNCG 15, George Washington 13

In game two, the Spartans stormed back after trailing 9-3 scoring 12 unanswered runs and held on for a wild 15-13 victory against the Colonials.

Junior Lacey Leary (Norwood, N.C./South Stanly/Spartanburg Methodist College) earned the victory in relief. Leary threw 2.2 innings allowed seven runs (five earned) off five hits. Leary was 2-for-2 at the plate with a three-run home run and four RBI.

Bazonski threw three innings to pick up her first collegiate save, allowing one earned run off two hits.

Sophomore Tory Wright (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and Lindsay Thomas was 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and three RBI. It was the first of the season for Thomas and her 31^st career home run.

Alcala had another multi-hit game going 2-for-5 with two RBI and junior Allison Geiner (Raleigh, N.C./Middle Creek) was 2-for-3 with a RBI.

George Washington jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning off six hits and two Spartan errors. Rochelle Draper had a two-run double and Morgan Rinehart had a two-run home run in the frame. 

UNCG would cut into the lead after Leary blasted a three-run home run in the second inning. Vega singled to start the inning and Wright reached on a error to setup the home run from Leary.

The Colonials would add two more runs in the third inning after Rinehart doubled in a run and Megan Linn picked up a RBI on a fielder's choice.

The Spartans would change momentum in the bottom of the third inning scoring seven runs off three hits. UNCG would load the bases after two walks and a single from Wright. Grkman worked a RBI walk and another run would come home on a wild pitch. Overdiep lined a two-run single up the middle and Alcala earned a RBI off a groundout. With two outs, Lindsay Thomas hammered her first home run of the season to give UNCG a 10-9 lead.

The Blue and Gold would add five more runs in the fourth inning to take a 15-9 lead. Leary earned her fourth RBI off a sacrifice fly and Geiner picked up a RBI off a single up the middle. Alcala followed with a RBI single and Lindsay Thomas roped a RBI single to right field. Nicole Thomas plated the final run with a RBI single to right centerfield.

George Washington mounted one last comeback in the fifth inning scoring four runs off three hits to cut UNCG's lead to 15-13. Victoria Valos had the big hit in the frame, a two-run double with two outs.

In the seventh, Bazonski closed the game with three-straight groundouts to pick up the save.

Be sure to follow all updates about the UNCG softball team on www.uncgspartans.com or on twitter @UNCGsports/@UNCGsoftball.

-UNCG-