GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team dropped a pair of non-conference games to Rutgers (4-12) and Brown (7-2) Saturday on the second day of the Spartan Classic. UNCG (8-9) split the weekend series with the Scarlet Knights after a win last night and will look to do the same with the Bears tomorrow when they return to action at 12:30 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.

Senior Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) paced UNCG going four-for-six at the plate over the course of the day. Allison Geiner (Raleigh, N.C./Middle Creek) batted .500 on the day going three-for-six while Sidney Grkman (Salisbury, N.C./Jesse Carson) and Tory Wright (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) also collected multi-hit days.

As a team, UNCG hit .333 while their two opponents combined to hit .524 with three home runs and a quartet of doubles.

In the first game, Rutgers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the third inning when Danica Bishop (Irvine, Calif./Nebraska) who came in to relieve Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week Alicia Bazonski (Sheffield, Ma./Mount Everett) early in the game, allowed a two-run home run. The Scarlet Knights tacked on another run on an error in the inning for a three-run lead. UNCG got a run back in the third inning to cut the deficit to two runs.

Rutgers again scored in the top of the fourth and added a pair of insurance runs an inning later for a 6-2 lead. The Spartans scored their second run in the bottom half of the fourth on a home run by Wright and a late rally was cut short in the bottom of the seventh when Lindsay Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) grounded into a double play to end the game.

Bazonski came back in to pitch the rest of the game after Bishop's third inning. The sophomore righty allowed two runs, both unearned, on seven hits in her six innings of work but was credited with the loss. Bishop allowed four runs, three earned, in one inning.

In the second game, Brown had a four-hit two-run opening frame to take an early lead on the Spartans. The Bears added runs in both the second and fifth inning for a 4-0 lead. The Spartans scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the deficit to two and threatened in the bottom of the seventh but the Bears escaped for the two-run win backed by impressive defense.

Stephanie Bryden (Orlando, Fla./East River) (5-4) tossed the first four innings and was dealt her fourth loss of the season in the circle for UNCG. The Orlando, Fla., native allowed four runs on nine hits while fanning three batters. Lacey Leary (Norwood, N.C./Spartanburg Methodist) closed out the final three innings allowing just one hit while striking out two.

N. Thomas, Wright, Grkman and Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) all recorded hits for UNCG while Geiner was the only Spartan with a multi-hit game.

Vega's 15-game streak of reaching base safely was snapped in the first game of the day but she fell back into the groove with a clutch late-inning single up the middle for the Spartans against Brown which drove in UNCG's first run.

UNCG will take the field at 12:30 p.m. against Brown as it looks to avoid the weekend sweep. Immediately following the Spartans will then play North Carolina Central (0-13).

-UNCG-