TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – UNC Greensboro softball dropped a pair of games 5-0 to UNCW and 4-2 to Iowa State on the first day of the 2019 season in the JoAnne Graf Classic Friday at JoAnne Graf Field.

UNCW opened the game with three runs in the top of the first inning with a two-RBI double and an RBI-single and added a pair of insurance runs with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

The Spartans were limited to just two hits in the loss to the Seahawks. In the sixth inning UNCG loaded the bases with one out with a Makenna Matthijs double, walk by Marisa Sholtes and Kayleigh Willis' hit by pitch, but a groundout double play ended the scoring threat.

Iowa State scored three unanswered runs in the top of the sixth inning for the win. The Cyclones' other run was a leadoff homer in the fourth inning.

UNCG claimed the game's first run in the second inning. Willis led off with a double to right center, went to third on a Jordan Gontram single through the right side and scored on a wild pitch.

The Spartans' other run came in the fifth inning. Jasmine Palmer was hit by a pitch with one out and raced home from first base on a double to left center by Matthijs.

UNCG faces UNCW again tomorrow at 10 a.m. followed by No. 1/3 Florida State afterwards.

News and Notes

- Sholtes and Matthijs both collected two doubles in the doubleheader. Sholtes went 2-4 along with two walks.

- Gontram was the only other Spartan to register more than one hit with two singles.

- Stephanie Bryden threw a complete game against Iowa State, allowing six hits, three earned runs and three walks with seven strikeouts.

- Kylie Bouplon started in the circle against UNCW and registered four outs before Hannah Stiltner replaced her. Stiltner finished out the game and gave up five hits, two runs and one walk with a strikeout.

-- UNCG –