ATHENS, Ga. – All good things must come to an end.
Unfortunately, that includes the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team's special 2021 season.
A record setting and memorable Spartan campaign concluded with an 8-4 setback to Western Kentucky in an elimination game of the Athens Regional at Jack Turner Stadium on the University of Georgia campus Saturday.
Years from now when members of the 2021 softball team gather for reunions, look through scrapbooks and share stories; they will be proud of all their accomplishments during an unforgettable season of highlights, records, rallies and magical moments.
The Spartans terrific season ended with a 34-17 overall record, a Southern Conference tournament championship, their third straight outright SoCon regular season crown, a single-season program record 90 home runs, and a pair of eight-game winning streaks.
Add in the challenge of playing through a global pandemic and consistently wearing masks, the Spartans headed back home to North Carolina with their heads held high. After all, UNCG was one of 64 programs out of over 300 Division I institutions that earned the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Tournament this season.
"I am super proud of every one of my players because they showed how much they loved softball and their team this year," UNCG head softball coach
Janelle Breneman said. "They made smart decisions and put the team first so that we could stay healthy and have the season we had. Each senior leaving here, I am more proud of them as individuals than their batting average. I love this team so much."
If you ever wanted to know what the 2021 Spartans were all about, they provided a concise snapshot during an explosive four-run fifth inning that featured terrific at-bats, clutch hits, and a three-run homer from sophomore
Maycin Brown. She will always be able to share that she homered in a NCAA Tournament game.
It was the 50th time this season that UNCG has scored at least three runs in an inning.
"The character of this team is we're not going give up," Brown said. "We're not going out easy. We're going to make sure we are remembered. That's what we showed today."
Brown's 10th blast of the season occurred after
Jordan Gontram's pinch-hit RBI single that scored
Jasmine Palmer with UNCG's first run in three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Trailing by eight runs and three outs away from being run-ruled, the Spartans didn't quit. Palmer led off the fifth with a walk.
Brooklynn Maxwell, who had two hits against Duke, did the same thing to set the table for the memorable inning.
The following Spartans played their final games:
Breanna Butcher,
Katie Stettler,
Hannah Stiltner,
Melanie Darges,
Kayleigh Willis, and Palmer. They leave a tremendous foundation of success for future generations of Spartans.
"We're excited for next season," Brown said. "We are also grateful for our seniors and will miss them a lot. They made this program what it is today. They were very helpful to the underclassmen and they helped to get us better every single day. This a step in the right direction for our program. This season was awesome. We are excited for what we accomplished this year. There were some lows, but a lot more highs."
Some of the returnees next season include Brown, who got UNCG's first hit of the contest leading off the fourth inning – a ringing double in the centerfield gap. Sophomore pitcher
Morgan Scott, who was named the SoCon Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, finished with four strikeouts and retired the final seven hitters she faced.
After allowing a pair of two-run home runs in the first inning to Kennedy Sullivan and Taylor Sanders, respectively, Scott settled down. The Hilltoppers took advantage of a huge two-out error in the fourth inning to add four runs and expand their lead to 8-0. Brylee Hage had the big blow with a bases loaded double that scored three runs.
Scott, who retired the final seven batters she faced, became the fourth pitcher in program history to record at least 200 strikeouts in a single season. She finished the season with 210. She was also the seventh pitcher with at least 20 wins in a single season.
"Only one team leaves here happy," Breneman said. "It was an emotional rollercoaster with the seniors when you know it's their last ballgame. They were a special group of young ladies. The seniors did a nice job of raising the bar of excellence for this program. This softball program keeps rising and taking big steps. This team was talented and resilient. They are great young ladies, and I am super proud of each member of this team."
