GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG softball (1-2) prepares for the Winthrop Softball Tournament taking place Friday, February 14-16 in Rock Hill S.C. The group of six entering competition includes: Virginia (3-1), Eastern Kentucky (3-1), Boston University (5-0), Towson 1-1), and Holy Cross (0-0). 
 
Winthrop Softball Tournament
Where: Winthrop Softball Complex | Rock Hill, S.C.
When: Friday, February 14-16 | 12:30 p.m. 
Follow: Live Stats

Weekend Outlook
The Spartans open up play with a two-game afternoon slate on Friday. First pitch up against ACC-foe, Virginia, is set for 12:30 p.m. They wrap up Valentine's Day action with a duel vs. Eastern Kentucky at 5:30 p.m.  A north-south class commences at 10 a.m. on Saturday, as they go to battle with the BU Terriers at 10 a.m. A meeting with Towson is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.  UNCG's weekend comes to an end after a tilt with The College of Holy Cross at 12 p.m. on Sunday. 
 
News and Notes

• The Spartans went 1-2 during opening weekend at the Carolina Classic in Columbia, S.C. They opened the weekend with a 5-3 win over North Dakota State (Feb. 8).
• A trio of freshmen impressed in their collegiate debut's vs. NDSU (Feb. 8). Blayke Batten knocked a game-tying three-run home run in a pinch-hit scenario in the fifth inning; 3B Maycin Brown drove in the go-ahead run (4-3) in the sixth with a single down the left field line; Teammate Morgan Scott (RHP) struck out five batters in her first appearance, including two K's to shut the door on the Bison in the seventh.
• The reigning Southern Conference softball regular season champion, UNCG, was predicted to finish second in the 2020, preseason coaches' poll with 28 points and one first-place vote. 
• Redshirt senior Jasmine Palmer (2B/SS), sophomore catcher Delaney Cumbie and designated player Kayleigh Willis each got the nod for the preseason all-conference first team. Outfielders Jordan Gontram (RJr.) and Makenna Matthijs (Jr.) both garnered preseason second team selections. 
• With five preseason All-SoCon selections, UNCG trails Chattanooga (6) and ETSU (6). The first-team nod for Palmer is the third-straight of her career, while Matthijs makes her second consecutive appearance on the preseason second-team list. 

Scouting the Opponents
 
Virginia
All-time Series: 7-19
The Cavaliers opened up the 2020 season at the Charlotte Invitational, going 3-1 against the competition. Sophomore Donna Friedman belted a two-run home run in the 11^th inning vs. Charlotte; sparking a huge five-run top half to earn a 10-5 win.  They defeated the 49ers a second time, 7-6 the following day and split a pair with the App State Mountaineers (L 0-1, W 9-7). 
 
Led by sophomore Tori Gilbert (.538, 4 RBI, HR, 3B), Virginia enters 2020 seeking their first postseason regional appearance since the 2010 season when they finished 34-23. In the Circle, sophomore pitcher Aly Rayle went 2-0 in the opening weekend slate, tossing 15.1 innings with 19 strikeouts, allowing eight hits and four walks. 
 
LAST MEETING: Feb. 24-25, 2018 | W, 8-0; W, 5-0 | UNCG Invitational
FIRST MEETING: April 18, 1990 (Division II) | L, 0-3; L, 1-6 | Charlottesville, Va.
 
Eastern Kentucky
All-time Series: 6-1
The Colonels opened up the 2020 season, 3-1, outscoring their opponents 31-15 at the Mercer Invitational (Feb. 7-9).  They closed out opening weekend with a 5-4 win over the hosting Bears. Games 2-3, the Colonels put up a combined 24 runs, defeating Dayton, 14-6, and Wright State, 10-0.
 
Junior outfielder, Sammy Miller leads the charge for Eastern Kentucky. With a team-high nine hits over the weekend and a .714 slugging percentage, she'll look to keep up the pace for a Colonel's squad picked to finish third in the Ohio Valley Conference (2020 preseason coaches' poll)
 
LAST MEETING: March 13, 2014 | L, 2-5 | Greensboro, N.C. 
FIRST MEETING: March 20, 1997 | W, 3-2 (9) | Greensboro, N.C.
 
Boston University
All-time Series: 2-1
The Terriers have kicked off the 2020 season quickly building their case for top-25 consideration. Pegged as favorites to three-peat in the Patriot League preseason coaches' poll, Boston University has jumped out to a perfect 5-0 record thanks to a strong opening weekend at the Stetson Lead-Off Classic.  The five-game winning streak makes the Terriers just one of two non power-five programs to begin the season 5-0.  The team from Beantown is led by junior Pitcher Ali DuBois, a two-time Patriot League Pitcher of the Year and recent Pitcher of the Week selection (Feb. 11). Dubois earned three wins, posted a 0.70 ERA and totaled 22 strikeouts (T-22 in Division I) over the weekend. 
 
LAST MEETING: February 17, 2002 | W, 5-2 | Triangle Classic (Raleigh, N.C.)
FIRST MEETING: March 3, 1996 | W, 3-2 | Rebel Spring Games (Ocoee, Fla.)
 
Towson
All-time Series: 11-5
The Tigers opened up their 2020 season at the USC Upstate Classic on Friday, February 7^th. Despite three games cancelled, Towson came away with a 1-1 record, dropping a contest to Bucknell, 1-9, and topping Saint Francis, 4-3. In the lone win, pitcher Sar Johnson tallied 10 strikeouts in through six innings with two earned runs. Senior utility player Julia Smith-Harrington and freshman Lauren Ringhiser each collected two hits and an RBI for the Tigers. In 2020, they return 18 players from 2019, including six seniors. 
 
FIRST MEETING: April 23, 1993 | L, 1-2 | Big South Tournament (Buies Creek, N.C.)
LAST MEETING: March 9, 2019 | W, 10-9 | Spartan Classic (Greensboro, N.C.)
 
Holy Cross
All-time Series: 0-0
The Crusaders enter the Winthrop Tournament to jumpstart the 2020 regular season. They'll take on Towson, Georgetown, Virginia and Winthrop before wrapping up on Sunday with a noon showdown with the Spartans.  The Sunday matinee will be the first matchup in program history vs. Holy Cross.  Sophomore pitcher, Kelly Nelson, a preseason All-Patriot League selection, anchors the pitching staff going into the season. As a freshman, the Norton, Mass. Native set a single-season program record with 208 strikeouts.