GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team (32-23, 9-8 SoCon) lost both games of Saturday's Southern Conference doubleheader to Samford (36-18, 14-3 SoCon) as the Bulldogs clinched the No. 1 seed in the SoCon Tournament and the regular season conference championship. UNCG can finish anywhere from 2-5 in the league depending on Sunday's softball results. Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) went 5-for-8 (.625) on the day and was slugging .750. Lindsay Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) hit two home runs in game two and accounted for three of UNCG's five runs scored.

In a game that began as a pitching dual, both teams were scoreless through the first three innings of the series opener. With a series sweep, the Spartans would swipe the SoCon regular season title from the Bulldogs. An RBI groundout by Tory Wright (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) gave the Spartans a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. A first pitch solo home run by Cal Brister in the bottom half of the inning tied the game 1-all.

Bazonski pitched into the sixth inning but after Samford loaded the bases with two hits and a hit by pitch head coach Janelle Breneman called to Stephanie Bryden (Orlando, Fla./East River) to come in and relieve her. Bazonski allowed just one earned run on seven hits and struck out two in her five and a third innings of work.

Bryden retired the first batter she faced Lexi Higgins on a swinging strikeout and a fly out by Megan Dowdy ended the inning with bases loaded and no damage done.

The teams both went scoreless in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings as the top two teams in the league would head into extra innings. UNCG was unable to score in the top of the eighth and after a lead off double by the Bulldogs; Samford was closing in on its regular season title. Hannah Trombley pinch-hit and launched a two-run home run over the left field fence to walk-off and secure the 3-1 win.

Bryden was hit with her 12^th loss of the season in the circle after tossing 2.1 innings allowing two earned runs on three hits while striking out two. Vega went 3-for-4 in the loss while Allison Geiner (Raleigh, N.C./Middle Creek) also had a multi-hit game going 2-for-4.

UNCG wasted no time in game two as L. Thomas led off with a solo home run to put the Spartans in front 1-0 early. Samford responded with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning to take a 2-1 lead after one inning of play.

The Spartans would score one run in each of the next four innings and held a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning. Bryden found herself in a bases loaded jam, which would end her outing as Breneman called Danica Bishop (Irvine, Calif./Nebraska) out of the bullpen. Bishop allowed three runs on a walk, a hit by pitch and a wild pitch to give Samford a 6-5 lead after five.

UNCG was unable to overcome the late-inning Bulldogs rally, falling the Samford by a one-run deficit.

Bryden (12-13) was dealt the loss after allowing four earned runs on six hits in four innings pitched. Bishop allowed no hits in two innings but three inherited runners crossed the plate on her watch.

L. Thomas was 3-for-5 in the second game with two runs scored and three RBI. Vega went 2-for-4 while Hagan Kiser (Asheboro, N.C./Southwestern) and Rachael McClaskey (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) both went 2-for-3 with an RBI apiece.

The SoCon Tournament seeding all comes down to Sunday's results. The Spartans can still lock in a No. 2 seed with certain situations but can finish as low down as 5^th. They will play their regular season finale at 2 p.m. (EST) against Samford Sunday, May 8, at the Samford Softball Stadium. Live stats are available at UNCGSpartans.com and fans can watch all the action live on the SoCon Digital Network.