Spartan Classic Tournament Central

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team hosts its final home tournament of the regular season from Thursday, March 10 to Sunday, March 13 as it continues its six-game homestand.

The Spartans host Michigan State, Delaware State, Elon, and Saint Francis (Pa.) this weekend.

Thursday
Who: Michigan State (11-9)
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
When: Thursday, March 10 | 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: Free Admission
Concessions will be open. No outside food or beverage is permitted.
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats

Who: Michigan State (11-9)
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
When: Thursday, March 10 | 4:30 p.m.
Tickets: Free Admission
Concessions will be open. No outside food or beverage is permitted.
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats

Friday
Who: Saint Francis (Pa.) (10-9)
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
When: Friday, March 11 | 5:00 p.m.
Tickets: Free Admission
Concessions will be open. No outside food or beverage is permitted.
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats

Saturday
Who: Saint Francis (Pa.) (10-9)
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
When: Saturday, March 12 | 4:15 p.m.
Tickets: Free Admission
Concessions will be open. No outside food or beverage is permitted.
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats

Sunday
Who: Delaware State (0-8)
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium
When: Sunday, March 13 | 3:30 p.m.
Tickets: Free Admission
Concessions will be open. No outside food or beverage is permitted.
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Senior Delaney Cumbie was tabbed SoCon Player of the Week most recently after helping UNCG to a 3-2 week.

• .429 batting average
• 3 home runs
• 7 hits
• 5 RBI
• 1 error, .970 fielding percentage
• 1.063 slugging percentage
• .524 on-base percentage

Junior Blayke Batten led the way for the Spartans during their five-game week. She earned UNCG's second Player of the Week award.

•  .412 batting average
• Double, two triples, two home runs
• 7-for-17 at the plate
• 5 runs, 7 RBI
• 1.059 slugging percentage
• .412 on-base percentage
• No error, 12 putouts

Graduate student Jordan Gontram earned the first SoCon Player of the Week award for the Spartans announced on Feb. 21.

• .636 batting average
• two home runs
• 7-for-11 at the plate
• 5 RBI
• 1.273 slugging percentage
• .636 on-base percentage

NATIONAL RANKINGS

• The first NCAA Division I Ratings Power Index (RPI) came out and UNCG is 48^th.
• UNCG is eighth in the nation with 30 home runs.
• UNCG is also eighth in the nation averaging 1.58 home runs per game.
• Morgan Scott is first in hit batters (1).
• Scott is fourth in innings pitched (76.2)
• Delaney Cumbie is third in hit-by-pitch per game (0.53).

#1 IN SOCON RANKINGS

• Doubles (27)
• Doubles per game (1.42)
• Home runs per game (1.58)
• Scoring (5.74)
• Slugging percentage (.504)
• WL percentage (.632)

A DECADE OF COACHING
Janelle Breneman enters her 10^th season at the helm of the Spartans with a 284-177. The Blue & Gold have accumulated a record of 12-7 this season, to bring Breneman's record to 296-184, four wins from 300.
 
OUT OF THE PARK
The Spartans have recorded at least one home run in 16 of the 19 games played this season.
 
UNCG has had 10 games with two or more home runs. The Spartans have had three games with three home runs.
 
Graduate student Makenna Matthijs and junior Blayke Batten leads the team with five home runs each. Five Spartans have recorded three home runs, including senior Delaney Cumbie, junior Maycin Brown, freshman Grace Loftin, graduate student Jordan Gontram, and senior Hannah Kincer.
 
Junior Brooklynn Maxwell and freshman Shipley have notched two homers each, while senior Samantha Lagrama has launched one home run.
 
SPARTANS' LAST TIME OUT

• UNCG suffered a 9-3 non-conference setback to Boston College on Tuesday at UNCG Softball Stadium.
• Freshman Reese Byrd struck out five batters.
• Delaney Cumbie, Makenna Matthijs, and Blayke Batten scored the runs for the Spartans.
• Jordan Gontram, Jessie Shipley, and Brooklynn Maxwell had hits.
• The Eagles totaled seven hits with Nicole Giery and Djhane Valido swinging 2-for-4.

PRESEASON PRESENTS
UNCG was chosen as the Southern Conference (SoCon) favorite in the preseason poll for the second-straight season.
Graduate student Makenna Matthijs was voted Preseason Player of the Year, as well as to the first team as an outfielder.
 
Junior Morgan Scott was selected as Preseason Pitcher of the Year, as well as to the first team.
 
Senior catcher Delaney Cumbie and junior infielder Maycin Brown were also tabbed on the first team.
 
Sophomore infielder Brooklynn Maxwell was voted to the second team.

FRESH FACES
Head Coach Janelle Breneman welcomed five additions to the 2022 Blue & Gold squad, including two pitchers, two infielders, and an outfielder.
The pitchers: Reese Byrd (Suffolk, Va.) and Graysen Hunter (Williamston, S.C.)
The infielders: Jessie Shipley (Sugar Land, Texas) and Meredith Harwood (Stanfield, N.C.)
The outfielder: Grace Loftin (Conover, N.C.)
 
Get to know Hunter, Byrd, and Loftin
Get to know Shipley and Harwood
 
DEPTH IN RETURNERS
Fourteen Spartans are listed on the roster from last year's team, including eight that started in 20 or more of the 51 games played in 2021.
 
Last season the Spartans saw five players bat above .300. Three of the five are returning, including offensive leader Matthijs who averaged .355 at the plate and was third in the SoCon. The two others are: Brown (.352) and Maxwell (.301).
 
Matthijs, Scott, Cumbie, and Brown also return as UNCG had six ranked in the top 100 in individual stat categories. Scott was named SoCon Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, as well as selected to the All-SoCon first team in 2021.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE

• Michigan State wrapped up the 2021 season with a 14-26 overall record and Big Ten mark.
• Ashley Miller was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week in mid-February after pitching three complete game shutouts, including tossing the third perfect game in program history against Akron.
• Miller has thrown 67.1 innings with just a 0.73 ERA with a 5-5 record.
• Sarah Ladd is second on the team throwing 43.0 innings with a 1.63 ERA.
• Miller and Joanna Bartz return for the Spartans this season after getting Big Ten All-Freshman Team and a Sportsmanship Award, respectively.
• Currently, three lead the way with a batting average above .300, including Camryn Wincher (.373), Macy Lee (.333), Courtney Callahan (.308).
• Wincher and Lee have recorded 12 and 11 RBI, respectively.
• Jessica Mabrey has cross home plate a team-best 13 times, while Caitie Ladd has scored 10 times.

HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN STATE

• UNCG leads the series 2-0.
• The Spartans last defeated the Michigan State Spartans on Feb. 24, 2002 with a score of 2-1. The day before they shut out Michigan State 1-0 in the Elon Invitational.

SCOUTING SAINT FRANCIS (PA.)

• Saint Francis is coming off of its fourth-straight Northeast Conference title, earning the top spot in this years' preseason poll.
• The Red Flash wrapped up the 2021 season with a 40-10 overall mark and a 22-2 conference record, falling in the NCAA regional in Austin, Texas.
• Mekenzie Saban leads the team with a .403 batting average and a team-best 14 runs scored.
• Saban was named NEC Player of the Week during the first week of March, while Lindsay Ward earned the honor in late February.
• She is second on the team with 10 RBI and two home runs.
• Olivia Ulam (.358), Jordan Pietrzykoski (.328), and Jordan Frank (.310) are the other three Red Flash batting above .300.
• Six have totaled double-digit hits this season.
• Saint Francis' Grace Vesco was named NEC Pitcher of the Week after throwing a complete game three-hit shutout in a win over Holy Cross.
• Rachel Marsden was named NEC Pitcher of the Week the two weeks prior as well as 2021 NEC Pitcher of the Year.

HISTORY VS. SAINT FRANCIS (PA.)

• UNCG leads the series 9-1.
• The Spartans last defeated the Red Flash on Feb. 10, 2018 with a score of 9-8.
• The Spartans have won seven straight games.

SCOUTING DELAWARE STATE

• Delaware State wrapped up the 2021 season with an 11-20 overall mark and a 7-9 MEAC mark.
• Delaware State is 0-8 under first-year head coach Daniel Stockdale.
• The Hornets return to action this week since last playing on Feb. 27.
• Delaware State is hitting .165 as a team.
• Jaelyn Baker is leading the way with a .263 batting average.
• Sandrea Hord and Yanique Spencer each have recorded an extra base hit.
• The Hornets have four different pitchers who have a 7.44 ERA as a staff in 42.1 innings.
• Sydney Hoffman leads the pitching staff with 12.0 innings and a 5.25 ERA.
• Mayanah McIntosh leads the team with 11 strikeouts.

HISTORY VS. DELAWARE STATE

• UNCG leads the series 3-1.
• The Spartans last defeated the Hornets on Feb. 23, 2008 with a score of 11-9 in the UNCW Tournament in Wilmington, N.C.