GREENSBORO, N.C. – Here we go again.
 
Those old in-state foes, UNC Greensboro (UNCG) and Western Carolina meet for the fifth time in seven days. This time there's a lot on the line as they collide for the 2021 Southern Conference championship beginning Saturday at 1 p.m.

UNCG is able to accommodate more fans for the SoCon Softball Championship on Saturday as capacity has officially been increased for the Stadium. Gates open at Noon.
 
The top-seeded Spartans (33-15) are one win away from capturing their second Southern Conference Tournament championship in four years. The winner earns the SoCon automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show is Sunday at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.
 
Western Carolina (27-25) has never won a SoCon tournament championship.
 
The Spartans defeated Western Carolina, 3-1 in Friday's winner bracket final behind SoCon Pitcher of the Year Morgan Scott's 20th complete game. In four games this season, UNCG has outscored Western Carolina, 26-3.
 
In Friday's win, Maycin Brown and Brooklynn Maxwell had two hits each. They combined for the first run of the contest when Brown scored on Maxwell's second-inning single. Katie Stettler and Hannah Kincer hit home runs for UNCG.
 
UNCG has hit 10 home runs against Western Carolina. The Spartans have hit .330 in four games this season. Maxwell has hit .556 (5-for-9) against the Catamounts.
 
Meanwhile, the Catamount offense haven't had as much success against UNCG's pitching. Scott has been the winning pitcher in three of the matchups. Western Carolina has compiled a .110 batting average, scored three runs and managed just nine hits. Maya Twitty hit a home run off of Scott in the seventh inning on Friday.
 
Western Carolina advanced to the championship by beating Mercer, 4-1, in an elimination game. Addie Pate had two RBIs for the Catamounts, which got its second complete game in the tournament from pitcher Jayme Eilers, who has allowed one earned run in 14 innings of the SoCon Tournament.
 
UNCG Notes

• UNCG has won 15 of its last 16 games.
• The Spartans have won seven straight contests overall.
• UNCG has won 10 consecutive games at home.
• UNCG is ranked sixth in the country in home runs per game (1.78). 
• The Spartans have hit 83 homers. 
• UNCG has hit at least four homers in a game eight times.
• The Spartans also hit a NCAA record-tying five homers in one inning against Elon on March 10.
• The Spartans are 16th nationally in slugging percentage (.545), 18th in scoring (6.52), 22nd in on-base percentage (.399), and 30th in doubles per game (1.57).
• During its last 16 games, UNCG has been on another level, outscoring teams 98-36 and hit 28 home runs. 
• The Spartans have scored at least six runs in eight of their final 16 games.
• Senior centerfielder Makenna Matthijs leads the SoCon in hits (59), runs (43) and RBIs (42). 
• Senior designated player Kayleigh Willis is second in the conference with 38 RBIs while junior catcher Delaney Cumbie is second in runs scored with 33.