GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team held a 3-2 lead but a six-run fifth inning proved to be the difference as the Spartans fell to Samford, 11-3 Sunday at the UNCG Softball Stadium.

The Spartans are 13-15 overall and sit 0-6 in conference play. Samford improves to 23-13 and is 5-1 in SoCon action. The Bulldogs have won six of the last seven meetings between the two teams.

Mollie Hanson threw her third-straight complete game improving to 14-6 on the season and allowed two earned runs off nine hits. Freshman pitcher Alicia Bazonski (Sheffield, Mass./Mount Everett) falls to 6-6 after taking the loss in relief. Bazonski threw four innings but allowed four earned runs.

Junior Allison Geiner (Raleigh, N.C./Middle Creek) was 3-for-3 at the plate with a RBI. Classmate Lindsay Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) picked up two hits in the loss.

Samford took a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a two out two-run home run from Callie Brister. The Bulldogs loaded the bases but Bazonski came on in relief and induced a groundout to end the inning.

UNCG immediately tied the game with two runs off three hits in the bottom of the first. The Spartans had three-straight hits as L. Thomas singled to start the frame. Classmate Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) doubled to right center and Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) followed with a RBI single through the left side. After a catcher's interference, pinch hitter Hagan Kiser (Asheboro, N.C./Southwestern) tied the game with a RBI groundout.

The Spartans took a 3-2 lead in the third inning after a RBI single from Geiner with two outs. L. Thomas worked a walk and Vega was hit to put runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved both runners up and Geiner earned her second RBI of the season.  

Samford took the lead for good with a six-run fifth inning thanks to a grand slam by Abby Adams giving the Bulldogs a 8-3 lead. Caroline Wilder had a RBI single in the inning to tie the game at 3-3 before the big hit by Adams.

The Bulldogs added a insurance run in the sixth inning off a RBI single from Abbie Miranda.

Samford push its lead to 11-3 after a two-run homer from Brister, her second of the game, in the seventh inning. 

UNCG had a runner in scoring position in the seventh but no runs came across as Samford earned the 11-3 win.

The Blue and Gold will host North Carolina A&T Tuesday, March 31 at 5 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.

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