GREENSBORO, N.C. – In its final regular season series, the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team travels to Birmingham, Alabama to face the Samford Bulldogs.
 
Heading into the final weekend both teams are tied for first in the Southern Conference (SoCon) standings with a record of 14-1.
 
This may seem like a familiar situation to UNCG fans. One might recall that last year, UNCG was fighting for the number one spot in the tournament and came up on top winning three games against Western Carolina. Not only did they clinch the title, but they also earned the right to host the tournament.
 
2022 is only slightly different. UNCG will host the tournament at the UNCG Softball Stadium no matter what from May 11th to the 14^th. But, this time the regular season title and the first-round bye are on the line. The Spartans must win at least two out of three games this series for both cases to come true.
 
SATURDAY
Who: Samford (30-15, 14-1 SoCon)
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | Samford Softball Field
When: Saturday, May 7 | 2 p.m. EST / 1 p.m. CST
Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+)
 
Who: Samford (30-15, 14-1 SoCon)
Where: Birmingham, Ala. | Samford Softball Field
When: Saturday, May 7 | 4 p.m. EST / 3 p.m. CST
Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+)
 
SUNDAY
Who: Samford (30-15, 14-1 SoCon)
Where: Birmingham, Ala. | Samford Softball Field
When: Sunday, May 8 | 2 p.m. EST / 1 p.m. CST
Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
UNCG is …

• 70th in the NCAA Division I Ratings Power Index (RPI).
• fifth in home runs (92)
• eighth in home runs per game (1.84)
• 18^th in slugging percentage (0.540)
• 33^rd in scoring (5.90)
• 44^th in WL percentage (0.700)
• 46^th in doubles (67)
• 52^nd in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.79)
• 57^th in ERA (2.74)

INDIVIDUALS...

• Delaney Cumbie is third in hit-by pitch per game (0.43), 54th in on-base percentage (0.492), 60^th in runs per game (0.93), 63^rd in walks per game (0.63), and 83rd in home runs (12).
• Jordan Gontram is 10th in home runs (18), 23rd in home runs per game (0.36), 56th in total bases (103), 71st in RBI per game (0.94)
• Morgan Scott is second in innings pitched (206.2), 10^th in strikeouts (246), 14th in victories (21), 75th in strikeouts per seven innings (8.3), and 81st in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.24).
• Grace Loftin is 72nd in RBI per game (0.94)
• Brooklynn Maxwell is 11^th in toughest to strike out (29.2).
• Makenna Matthijs is 63rd in total bases (101), 83^rd in runs per game (0.90)

#1 IN SOCON RANKINGS

• Batting average (.277)
• Slugging percentage (.540)
• On-base percentage (.365)
• Runs scored (295)
• Hits (374)
• RBI (276)
• Doubles (67)
• Home runs (92)
• Total bases (729)
• Total plate appearances (1582)
• At bats (1351)
• Walks (154)
• Hit-by-pitch (44)
• Sacrifice flies (16)
• Opposing batting average (.229)
• Innings pitched (342.2)
• Batters struck out (313)
• Batters struck out looking (86)
• Wins (35)
• Putouts (1028)

NATIONAL RECOGNITION
On Thursday, freshman Grace Loftin was named to the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25 list. This is the first time UNCG had an honoree. 
 
Maycin Brown was named Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week during the week of March 28.
 
Loftin was named D1 Softball Freshman of the Week on March 21.
 
CLIMBING HIGH (UNCG CAREER RECORDS)

• Jordan Gontram is second with 52 home runs, seventh with 146 RBI, tied for 10^th with 76 walks.
• Makenna Matthijs is tied for second with 52 doubles and 179 runs, third with 228 hits and 751 at bats, fourth with 168 RBI, sixth with 37 homers, tied for eighth with 83 walks.
• Delaney Cumbie is second with 124 walks, sixth with 129 runs, tied for ninth with 31 homers.
• Scott is third with 562 strikeouts, sixth with 49 wins, tied for seventh with three saves.

RECORD BREAKERS
Team 37's 92 home runs are now the leader in UNCG single-season home runs. The previous record of 90 was held by the 2021 team.
 
During Wednesday's game, Jordan Gontram broke the 90 threshold with a two run homer in the bottom of the first.
 
With that swing, Gontram also broke the UNCG single season individual home run record, crushing her 18^th of the year. She surpassed the previous record of 17, which was held by Marisa Sholtes from 2019, Katelyn Bedwell from 2014, and Lindsay Thomas from 2013.  
 
OUT OF THE PARK
The Spartans have recorded at least one home run in 42 games this season.
 
In a 19-1 domination over Mercer on Sunday, March 27, the Spartans slugged eight home runs for the most home runs in a game in head coach Janelle Breneman's era and to stats dating back to 2007.
 
Three of the eight came from Grace Loftin. This was the fourth time in program history that a Spartan has hit three home runs in a game.
 
UNCG has had 26 games with two or more home runs. The Spartans have had four games with three home runs. There have been four games with four home runs, two games with five home runs, and one game with a season-best eight homers.
 
Four Spartans have reached the double-digit home run mark, with Jordan Gontram leading the way with a season best 18 home runs, while Delaney Cumbie's 12 are a single-season high. Grace Loftin and Makenna Matthijs are third with 11 homers. Samantha Lagrama and Blayke Batten each have hit nine, both hitting single-season highs.
 
Maycin Brown has crushed eight homers, while Jessie Shipley has hit six. Brooklynn Maxwell and Hannah Kincer round out the Spartan homer brigade with five and three, respectively. Maxwell's five are a single season high.

SOCON RECOGNITION
Scott and Loftin were named SoCon Pitcher and Player of the Month, respectively, for March.
Scott tallied her third SoCon Pitcher of the Week honor after an impressive week of a 0.33 ERA.
Junior Maycin Brown was named SoCon Player of the Week during the week of March 28.
Scott earned her second SoCon Pitcher of the Week honor on March 28.
Freshman Grace Loftin was named SoCon Player of the Week March 21.
Junior Maycin Brown was tabbed SoCon Player of the Month for February.
Scott was selected SoCon Pitcher of the Week on March 14.
Senior Delaney Cumbie was tabbed SoCon Player of the Week on March 7 after helping UNCG to a 3-2 week.
Junior Blayke Batten led the way for the Spartans during their five-game week. She earned UNCG's second Player of the Week award on Feb. 28.
Graduate student Jordan Gontram earned the first SoCon Player of the Week award for the Spartans announced on Feb. 21.

SPARTANS' LAST TIME OUT

• UNCG hosted the Charlotte 49ers for the second matchup of the season on Wednesday.
• This was the final home regular season game for the Spartans.
• The 49ers took the game 10-5.
• Gontram and Maxwell each homered.
• Maxwell went 2-for-3 with one run and a RBI.
• Gontram and Maycin Brown each had two RBI.
• Grace Loftin doubled for the 13^th time this season.

SCOUTING SAMFORD

• Samford is 89th in RPI.
• Samford is leading the conference in ERA (2.08), hits allowed (271), runs allowed (115), earned runs allowed (92), walks allowed (73), home runs allowed (18), and fielding percentage (.967).
• The Bulldogs are second in five categories among the SoCon.
• Samford is undefeated at home in conference play.
• Mary Katherine Tedder and Sarah Squillace lead the team with .364 and .316 batting averages, respectively.
• Tedder also leads the team with 37 RBI, while Timberlyn Shurbutt is second with 36.
• Tedder also leads the team in hits, doubles, triples, and walks.
• Amanda Briskin has stolen 11-of-14 bases, while McKayla Cothran is a perfect 9-for-9.
• In the circle, McKenzie Newcomb, who has earned three SoCon Pitcher of the Week honors, has a 1.90 ERA with 18 complete games, a 20-7 record, and one save in 161.1 innings pitched.
• Jordyn Partain is second with 112.1 innings tossed with an 8-6 record and a 3.61 ERA.

HISTORY VS. SAMFORD

• UNCG leads the series 22-20.
• In 2021, the Spartans swept the series against the Bulldogs.