GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team improved to 24-14 with a 6-0 shutout victory over North Carolina A&T (13-20) at the UNCG Softball Stadium Wednesday afternoon. The Spartans now lead the all-time series against the Aggies, 42-2 and are 7-0 since head coach Janelle Breneman took over the program in 2013.

Three Spartans hit home runs in the win, making it nine consecutive games that UNCG has hit at least one home run in. The Spartans are now 12-2 in games in which they it one home run and 8-2 when two or more home runs are hit. 

Rachael McClaskey (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) starting things off early for UNCG with her first career triple in the bottom of the first inning down the right field line. UNCG was unable to score any runs though, stranding runners in the corners to keep the score even after one inning.

The Aggies threatened in the top of the second inning after a leadoff single but Stephanie Bryden (Orlando, Fla./East River) got Mohagany Headen with a strikeout and Jillian Nobles to groundout to end the inning.

With two outs in the bottom half of the inning; Sidney Grkman (Salisbury, N.C./Jesse Carson) and Kendall McKinney (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett) hit back-to-back solo home runs for a 2-0 UNCG lead.

McKinney has now hit a home run in three of the Spartans' last four games.

North Carolina A&T left runners on base in the bottom of the third and fifth innings but would not crack Bryden's dominance. She struck out at least one batter through her first four innings while only allowing one base on balls.

UNCG added a pair of runs when Tory Wright (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) and Hagan Kiser (Asheboro, N.C./Southwestern) traded places with back-to-back doubles to start the fifth inning. After Grkman worked a full count to load the bases for pinch hitter Lacey Leary (Norwood, N.C./Spartanburg Methodist).

Leary knocked in UNCG's fourth run of the inning with a single up the middle for a 4-0 lead.  NC A&T called to the bullpen for Mohagany Headen who escaped the inning when McClaskey popped into a double play at second base.

UNCG's final two runs came an inning later when Wright hit a two-run homer off the scoreboard in right centerfield to extend UNCG's lead to 6-0.

Danica Bishop (Irvine, Calif./Nebraska) came in to relieve Bryden in the top of the seventh inning and worked a one, two, three inning with a trifecta of groundouts to secure the Spartans second-consecutive win.

Lindsay Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) and Wright both had multi-hit days for UNCG. Thomas is now one hit shy of tying the all-time record for career hits at UNCG (230).

Bryden earned the win with six scoreless innings of work to improve to 9-8 overall. She allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out four Aggies.

Zadaisha Waddell was the only member of North Carolina A&T's squad to have a multi-hit day going two-for-three. She was handed the loss in the circle after pitching four and a third innings allowing four earned runs on nine hits.

UNCG returns to action Saturday for Southern Conference double-header against Mercer. First pitch between the Spartans and Bears is set for 1 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.

-UNCG-