GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball bounced back in game two to defeat Western Carolina, 2-1, to split a doubleheader Saturday at the UNCG Softball Stadium.

The Spartans sit at 15-16 on the season and are 1-7 in league play. Western Carolina has a 15-23 record and a 4-4 conference mark.

Western Carolina 7, UNCG 1

In game one, the Catamounts used timely hitting scoring five of their seven runs with two outs to defeat UNCG, 7-1.

Jordan Garrett improved to 9-10 after throwing five innings and allowed one earned run off two hits. Freshman pitcher Alicia Bazonski (Sheffield, Mass./Mount Everett) fell to 7-7 after throwing five innings and allowed seven runs (three earned) off seven hits.

Junior Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) had a solo home run and sophomore Tory Wright (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) had a single.

WCU took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off a RBI double from Kara Salvo. Victoria Mariscal worked a one out and moved to third off two wild pitches. Salvo lined her 13^th RBI of the season to give the Catamounts a 1-0 lead. 

In the second inning, WCU added a insurance run after Karley Harkey earned a RBI groundout. Heather Chastain singled to left center and moved to third off a wild pitch. Harkey picked up her ninth RBI.

UNCG cut the lead to 2-1 after Vega blasted her second home run of the season with one out in the second inning.

Western Carolina broke open the game with a three-run fourth inning off two hits and two costly errors by UNCG. With one out, Chastain and Amber Kimrey reached off back-to-back errors. After a out, Crystal Cyr lined a two-run double to centerfield to give WCU a 4-1 lead. Abigail Daniels earned a RBI bunt single to make it 5-1 WCU.

In the fifth inning, the Catamounts scored another two out RBI as Kimrey lined a RBI infield single to increase the lead to 6-1. 

WCU received another two out RBI from Salvo who roped a RBI single to left field giving the Catamounts a 7-1 lead.

In the seventh inning, Taylor Sigmon closed the game keeping UNCG off the scoreboard to seal the victory.

UNCG 2, WCU 1

In game two, a key two-run sixth inning led the Spartans to a bounce-back win against WCU, 2-1.

Junior Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) threw a complete game gem only allowing one earned run off seven hits with two strikeouts. N. Thomas also hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to break a 0-0 tie.

UNCG loaded the bases in the first inning off two hits but couldn't push across any runs. 

Garrett threw four scoreless inning to keep the Spartan bats quiet only allowing two hits with five strikeouts. Sigmon took the loss in relief after allowing two earned runs in two innings.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Nicole Thomas started the inning with her sixth home run of the season to break the tie giving UNCG a 1-0 lead. Senior Dominique Madruga (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) worked a one out walk and moved to second off a wild pitch. Redshirt freshman Sidney Grkman (Salisbury, N.C./Jesse Carson) roped a clutch RBI double to push the Spartans lead to 2-0.

In the final inning, Western Carolina kept fighting as Crystal Cyr lined a one out solo home run to cut the advantage to 2-1. N. Thomas finished the win with a line out to right field as Grkman made the catch to end the game. 

The Blue and Gold will face Western Carolina in a rubber game Saturday, April 4 at 1 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.