GREENSBORO -- Morgan Scott doesn't shy away from tough situations on the softball diamond.
 
Quite the opposite, in fact. Big situations bring out the best in the sophomore right-hander from Irmo, S.C.
 
Scott (13-7, 2.33 ERA) pitched back-to-back complete game shutouts Friday afternoon to lead UNCG to a doubleheader sweep of Samford to begin the Spartans' key Southern Conference weekend series against the Bulldogs at UNCG Softball Stadium.
 
"I'm probably going to be a little sore in the morning," said Scott, who was pitching on four days rest. "I'm rusty after not being out here all week, but I feel good about this, obviously."
 
The Spartans (24-14 overall, 8-3 SoCon) won the opener 3-0 and the nightcap 1-0 to maintain their hold on second place in the conference standings. UNCG has just eight games left in the regular season, seven of them against SoCon opponents beginning with the series finale against Samford (15-22, 4-7 SoCon) at 10 a.m. Saturday.
 
Scott was brilliant Friday.
 
She pitched a three-hitter in the opener, walking one and striking out eight in seven innings. After a 30-minute break, she followed up with a four-hitter, walking none and striking out two. In 14 combined innings, she faced just eight batters over the minimum and threw 193 pitches.
 
Scott said she was eager to pitch the second game.
 
"It means a lot to me, really, because it shows how much confidence (coach Janelle Brenneman has in me," Scott said. "No, it's not easy at all, but I know my defense has my back. They made some really hectic plays, but I kept my confidence up and kept throwing the ball like I know how."
 
Scott has held opponents to a .205 batting average this season, and she leads the SoCon with 151 strikeouts in 129 1/3 innings pitched. She came into the game ranked 30th in the nation in total strikeouts among NCAA Division I pitchers.
 
"I know what my role is, so I just go out there and do my job," Scott said. "I know my defense has my back, but I also know I can paint the corners and get strikeouts if I need to. Honestly, I love situational stuff, so close ball games like these, I really thrive. I love when it's one out or no outs and there's a runner at second. Because I know I can get the rest of the batters out."
 
UNCG won the opener by scoring all three of its runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
Junior catcher Samantha Lagrama drew a lead-off walk -- her third walk of the game -- and senior designated player Kayleigh Willis was hit by a pitch. Junior left fielder Hannah Kincer drew a one-out walk to load the bases.
 
Junior right fielder Jordan Gontram followed with an RBI single to left, and the Spartans scored two more runs when senior Melanie Darges reached on an error by Samford's shortstop.
 
Senior center fielder Makenna Matthijs was 1-for-4, and junior third baseman Delaney Cumbie was 1-for-3 with a double.
 
The second game was even tighter.
 
Matthijs, who went 2-for-2, drove in the only run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman shortstop Brooklynn Maxwell led off the inning with a double down the third-base line, then took third on Darges' sacrifice bunt
 
Scott gave up back-to-back hits to start the game, but she stranded the runners at second and third to end the first inning, then shut Samford down the rest of the way.
 
"Those (pitches that got hit) were a little too much on the plate," Scott said, "but me and (pitching) coach (Tracey) Lynch talked about working further out on the plate and keeping height differences on pitches (to move the batters' eyes). So. I focused mainly on that, trying to keep them off balance."
 
Samford lead-off hitter Timberlyn Shurbutt went 3-for-6 in the doubleheader and was the only Bulldogs player to get more than one hit off Scott.