Columbia, S.C.- The UNCG softball team dropped a pair of non-conference games to Ohio (2-0) and Winthrop (3-4) on the second day of the Carolina Classic hosted by South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., Saturday afternoon. The Spartans are on a four-game losing streak and are now 4-5 overall. Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) has reached base safely in eight-consecutive games.

In the first game, Ohio (2-0) held the Spartans to two hits in the 2-0 win. UNCG threatened in the top of the second inning but the Bobcats were able to escape the bases loaded jam. Ohio scored its only two runs in the bottom half of the inning on a double to left field by Casie Hutchinson who plated Taylor Saxton and Deanna Cole.

Stephanie Bryden (Orlando, Fla./East River) was handed her second loss of the season allowing both runs on six hits in six innings of work. Rachael McClaskey (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) and Tory Wright (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) recorded the Spartans only two hits while Vega drew a walk to reach base safely in seven-straight games.

D. Stiene earned the win for Ohio allowing just two Spartan hits in seven innings. Hutchinson went three-for-three with two runs batted to lead the Bobcats offensively.

In the second game, Winthrop led 2-1 heading into the fifth inning. The Eagles chased UNCG's starting pitcher Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) in the fifth after she allowed five runs, two earned, in four and third innings of work. Alicia Bazonski (Sheffield, Mass./Mount Everett) came in to relieve her and finished the game allowing one run on three hits in the final two and two thirds innings.

Offensively, Sidney Grkman (Salisbury, N.C./Jesse Carson) was the story of the day recording the only multi-hit game of the day batting 2-for-3. Marisa Sholtes (Albany, N.Y./South Colonie Central), Rebecca Kale (Hudson, N.C./South Caldwell), and Vega also tallied hits for the Spartans.

N. Thomas (0-2) picked up her second loss of the season as UNCG falls to its fourth-straight loss.

The Spartans return home to host North Carolina at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24.

-UNCG-