ROCK HILL, S.C. -- UNCG softball team (3-2) rolled to victory over the Virginia Cavaliers and Eastern Kentucky, Friday at the Winthrop Softball Tournament in Rock Hill S.C. In the Friday opener, the Spartans shutout Virginia, 2-0, followed by an 8-3 victory over the Colonels. Freshman pitcher Morgan Scott earned the win over Virginia, going the distance for her first career complete game shutout and striking out eight. 

"It was great to see our offense produce the way they did in game 2 (EKU)," head coach Janelle Breneman said. "I felt like our hitters were relaxed and put great swings on some pitches. The run support, stellar defense and a tremendous pitching performance is what we have been striving for. It was a great team win."

GAME ONE (vs. Virginia)

Head coach Janelle Breneman decided to go with the rookie right-hander to kick things off in the circle for the Spartans. With her second win of the season, Scott improved her earned run average to 1.35, and increased her strikeout total to 20. After a shaky start to the first inning, she settled down with two runners on and struck out three straight to steal back the momentum. 

Sophomore catcher Delaney Cumbie got UNCG on the board with an RBI single up the middle. 

The Cavaliers tried to make some noise in the fifth, but came up empty-handed stranding the bases loaded. 

A Makenna Matthijs solo home run in the bottom of the fifth padded the lead for Scott, who seems to be comfortable taking the ball in any situation for a Spartans team seeking to sweep the weekend in Rock Hill. 

GAME TWO (vs. Eastern Kentucky)

The bats cam alive in game two of the Friday slate for UNCG. Jasmine Palmer led the way, going 4-for-4 with a double and one RBI. The redshirt senior moved into the cleanup spot, swapping places with designated player Kayleigh Willis. The pair set the tone in the first inning. Following a Palmer single and Cumbie score off a pass ball, Willis roped a double to left field to bring in Palmer from second to give the Spartans an early 2-0 lead. 

The Colonel's tagged starter Kylie Bouplon for one run in the third. Back-to-back hits from Miranda Lopez (double) and Melissa Jacobsen (single) gave EKU a little swag of their own. The pair pulled off a double-steal with both at the corners. a pair of lineouts left Jacobsen at third and Bouplon escaped the jam. 

Cumbie and Palmer continued to be aggressive on offense, with Cumbie slapping a double to right center, and scoring off another Palmer single. The 2B/C combo provided a glimpse of the damage the Spartans lineup is capable of up against any team in the country. 

Sophomore Hannah Kincer prove once again she has what it takes to step up at any given moment and deliver, as she knocked her team-leading second home run of the 2020 season. 

Junior Katie Stettler stepped up in box in the fifth inning with the Spartans up 4-2. With two on, Stettler split the gap in right center to notch a two-run double to give UNCG some breathing room heading down the stretch. 

Fellow freshman pitcher, Alex Rodriguez got the call in the sixth, once again getting an opportunity to shine in attempt to deny the opponent of a rally. She finished with three strikeouts, including the final out of the game, getting the best of EKU's Ariyana Miranda.

AROUND THE HORN
-- Palmer's five-game streak of reaching base leads the team
-- Monice Pepe and Delaney Cumbie each possess a two-game hitting streak heading into tomorrow's matchup with Towson
-- Scott's 20 strikeouts is good for 51st in Division I and tied for seventh among freshmen

UP NEXT
The Spartans are back for another double dose of tournament action, tomorrow starting at 10 a.m. vs. Boston University (5-0). The Terriers are led by junior starting pitcher Ali Dubois (3-0). They follow up the morning session with a 12:30 p.m. meeting with the Towson Tigers (1-2).