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GREENSBORO, N.C. – In establishing the single-season program record for home runs this season, the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team has resembled a cauldron of volcanic forces.
The UNCG line-up has sent a torrent of terror to opposing pitchers as trying to successfully navigate this collection of talented and powerful sluggers has been trying to stop a Sherman tank with a bow and arrow.
With seven regular-season games remaining beginning Wednesday at Charlotte (4 p.m.), UNCG has hit 65 home runs, surpassing the 61 the Spartans hit in 2016 and 2017. UNCG has produced some awe-inspiring eruptions during this season in blasting at least four home runs in a game six times this season.
The Spartans have hit six homers in a game twice, both in contests against Elon. They even hit five in the seventh inning against Elon, which tied an NCAA record (all divisions). Eight other schools, including Oklahoma which accomplished the same feat earlier this year, share the record.
UNCG is seventh nationally in home runs per game (1.67). Their total of 65 is more than double of the SoCon's second-place team, which is Furman, which has 32 home runs.
Nine Spartans have at least five home runs this season, which is wild.
Makenna Matthijs has 10 homers to lead the Spartans and
Jordan Gontram has nine.
In basketball, Steph Curry and LeBron James are walking buckets. Well, the Spartan softball team is a collection of walking homers.
UNCG has hit home runs leading off games. Homers have started rallies. Homers have won games. Case in point. Trailing 5-0 on the road to Chattanooga and being no-hit for four innings, UNCG detonated for four homers en route to a memorable 8-6 come-from-behind victory in nine innings.
Brooklynn Maxwell hit a two-run homer in the fifth.
Kayleigh Willis slugged a three-run blast in the sixth.
Katie Stettler and
Hannah Kincer hit solo shots against Chattanooga in the sixth and ninth innings respectively. This past weekend against Samford in the series finale,
Samantha Lagrama started the Spartan home run barrage with a two-run shot in the first inning.
UNCG has combined patience and power to coalesce into one of the most potent offenses in the nation. The Spartans are fourth in the country in walks (172), 20th in scoring (6.41 runs per game), 21st in doubles (60), and 24th in slugging percentage (.527).
So that means that 125 of UNCG's 288 hits (44.6 percent) have been either doubles or homers.
The Spartans conclude this week on the road by visiting Mercer on Saturday and Sunday.
