GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNCG softball completes the doubleheader sweep of visiting Northern Illinois, winning its two Wednesday afternoon matchups by finals of 9-1 and 5-4. The Spartans ended game one before the regularly scheduled seven innings were completed, while delivering a walk-off win over the visitors in the second contest.
The Spartans run-ruled the Huskies in game one, hanging nine on NIU before the end of the fifth inning. After falling behind by one in the opening frame,
Kayleigh Willis delivered a three-run shot in the third, followed by a solo homer from
Samantha Lagrama in the next at bat. Willis finished 2-for-2 at the plate with a team-high three RBI and a walk, while
Melanie Darges went 2-or-3 and crossed home plate twice in UNCG's 9-1 win.
Kylie Bouplon extends her record to a perfect 6-0 on the year, holding the Huskies to a single unearned run over her 5.0 innings in the circle and striking out four Northern Illinois batters.
The Spartans' second contest of the day was much more highly contested, with UNCG delivering the walk-off victory in the eighth inning. The home team struck first with Lagrama's second homer of the afternoon, a leadoff solo homer in the second inning.
Delaney Cumbie's two-run shot in the third put the Spartans ahead by a count of 3-1, but a three-run fourth from the visitors put UNCG behind the eight-ball late.
Makenna Matthijs' RBI single in the sixth extended the Spartans' night, before
Jasmine Palmer drove in the game-winner on a bases loaded hit by pitch to walk things off in the eighth.
UNCG moves to 15-7 on the year, while winning four of their past five contests against NIU and Elon. Willis, Matthijs and Cumbie are all tied for a team-lead with 19 RBI apiece this year, with Willis collecting a Spartan-high seven homers in 2020 thus far.
Coming Up Next
The Spartans travel to the Cougar Classic in Charleston this weekend, opening the tournament with a Friday contest against hosts College of Charleston. UNCG will also face Fordham over the course of the weekend.
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