GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team continued its run of excellence through the Southern Conference by earning a pair of hard-fought 9-4 and 5-3 victories over Chattanooga at the UNCG Softball Stadium Saturday afternoon.
With the wins, the Spartans remained perfect in the SoCon at 8-0. It's the first time in program history that UNCG has opened conference play with eight consecutive conquests. An impressive feat for a program that's getting everybody's best shot each time it takes the field.
UNCG has won 13-straight regular-season games against SoCon opponents dating back to the 2021 season. UNCG has won 16-straight overall games against conference foes, including post-season games.
Quick Summary
Morgan Scott struck out 15 batters in the opening game and earned the save in the nightcap with 1.2 innings in relief of
Reese Byrd, who was celebrating her birthday. Byrd was the winning pitcher in the second game.
Makenna Matthijs had three hits in the opening contest.
Grace Loftin drove in three of her four RBIs on the afternoon in the second game.
Delaney Cumbie's solo homer leading off the fifth inning in the second game started a three-run fifth inning and gave UNCG the lead for good. Her homer came after the Mocs tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning.
Records
Chattanooga 21-17 overall, 5-3 SoCon
UNCG 27-11, 8-0
Quotable
Cumbie on UNCG's offensive approach today.
"I felt like today, we had a few big bombs, but we were able to string together some hits, pass the bat, and work together as a team to score a lot of our runs today. Chattanooga's pitchers were making us work hard at the plate. I think we did a nice job of seeing pitches, taking the walks, and making their defense work. I thought we did a nice job at the plate."
Cumbie on her home run in the second game that gave UNCG the lead.
"We talk all the time about keeping our composure even if we get scored upon. They had just tied it up and we did a good job of not letting that get to us. I was going into the at-bat thinking of a certain pitch that I wanted to hit because she had gotten me two times before that, so I was looking for a specific pitch and try to be more patient. I got that pitch and I capitalized on it."
How It Happened Game One
- UNCG's five-run lead was trimmed to 5-2 and the Mocs had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth inning.
- Scott struck out the final two batters of the sixth and the side in the seventh inning.
- Scott had at least two strikeouts in every inning.
- This was the fifth time this season and second time in three games that Scott finished with double digit strikeouts.
- She has 15 career double-digit strikeout games.
- Jordan Gontram and Matthijs homered.
- Gontram hit her team leading 12th home run in the fourth inning.
- Gontram is tied for second in program history with 46 home runs.
- Matthijs hit her 36th career homer in the sixth inning to move into a tie for sixth all-time.
- Matthijs had three hits, three RBIs and scored two runs.
- It was Matthijs' first three hit game of the season.
- Matthijs has 14 career games of at least three hits.
- Samantha Lagrama had two hits for the Spartans, who finished with 10 hits.
- Jessie Shipley's RBI double and Matthijs' two-run homer highlighted UNCG's four-run sixth inning.
- Every UNCG batter reached base at least once during the game.
How It Happened Game Two
- UNCG had seven walks and six hits.
- Three of UNCG's hits went for extra bases.
- Byrd pitched out a first-inning jam that saw Chattanooga have a runner at third base with one out.
- Hannah Kincer started a double play in the second inning with a nice catch in rightfield and an alert throw back to Lagrama, who stepped on first base.
- Loftin hit a two-run homer in the third inning that scored Maycin Brown, who walked.
- Chattanooga tied the game at 2-2 on an RBI double from Gracey Kruse and a groundout from Kailey Snell.
- Loftin's fifth inning double scored Brown and extended UNCG's lead to 4-2.
- Her double came three batters after Cumbie's lead-off homer.
- With UNCG leading, 5-2, Scott entered in the sixth inning with one out and the bases loaded.
- Scott allowed one run after she hit a batter.
- Then, Scott induced two ground balls to keep UNCG's lead at 5-3.
Inside the Numbers
- The Spartans have recorded at least one home run in 31 games this season.
- UNCG has had 23 games with two or more home runs.
- UNCG has hit 78 home runs this season, which is second in the country.
- Loftin has 42 RBIs on the season.
- Matthijs, Loftin, and Gontram all have double digit home runs.
- Scott threw 23 pitches in the second game.
- Chattanooga leadoff hitter Emily Coltharp had two hits in each game.
Final Word
Scott on her performance in the sixth inning of both games.
"We really had to dig down to win these two games today. We didn't let anything phase us today and we stayed in the game. I was able to use my best pitches and it helped us get out of the tough situations. I got them to chase pitches or strike them out looking. I always want to come in the game, and I am ready no matter what. I love pitching."
And the Spartans love winning.
