GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team continues a 10-game home stretch this week by hosting in-state rival Appalachian State on Wednesday, March 13 with a first pitch at 4:00 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.  
The Spartans are currently 15-12 overall, while the Mountaineers are 11-10 overall.   

All regular season softball home games at the UNCG Softball Stadium are free admission. Concessions will be open and outside food is not permitted. All weekday home games (not including Friday) will be Bark in the Park games, where spectators can bring their dogs.
 

Wednesday, March 13 Opponent: Appalachian State Where: UNCG Softball Stadium | Greensboro, N.C. Time:  4 p.m. Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats

 
RUNDOWN ON THE SPARTANS

• UNCG was chosen to finish first in The Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Spartans received four first-place votes.
• Senior Brooklynn Maxwell, redshirt-junior Maddie Spell, and junior Jorde Chartrand were named to the SoCon Preseason first team.
• Junior Grace Loftin and sophomore Rhyann Jones were named to the SoCon Preseason second team.
• UNCG won its sixth-straight SoCon Regular Season title in 2023.
• The Spartans won their third SoCon Tournament Championship in route to the program's seventh NCAA Tournament bid.
• This was their third ticket to the NCAA Tournament in six years.
• Maycin Brown and Blayke Batten return for their fifth year in the Blue & Gold.
• UNCG added five freshmen and one transfer to the 2024 roster.
• Maddie Spell was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 26), while Anna White was named SoCon Player of the Week (Feb. 26).
• Most recently on March 11, Brooklynn Maxwell was named SoCon Player of the Week and Salem Ward was tabbed SoCon Pitcher of the Week.
• Maxwell is pacing the Spartans with a .442 batting average, 29 RBI, and 10 home runs.
• Grace Loftin is second on the team with 20 RBI.
• Maxwell is pacing the SoCon in batting average, slugging percentage (.937), on-base + slugging percentage (1.451), runs scored (31), hits (42), RBI (29), triples (5), home runs (10), at bats (95), and assists (71).
• Maxwell is ranked nationally in the top 10 in six categories: 1^st in total bases, 2^nd in hits, 2^nd in triples, 4^th in home runs, 7^th in slugging percentage, 7^th in triples per game.
• Jessie Shipley is fourth in the nation with 11 doubles.
• The Spartans are third in the nation in walks (106), 13^th in home runs per game (1.33), 35^th in doubles (37), 36^th in slugging percentage (0.494), 37^th in double plays per game (0.44), 41^st in triples per game (0.30),
• Jones leads the pitching staff with 54.1 innings tossed and 36 strikeouts.
• Maddie Spell has tossed 53.1 innings this season with 26 strikeouts and leads the staff with a 7-4 record.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG is coming off four wins over its last five games, all being at home during the UNCG Invitational.
• The Spartans closed out the tournament with a 7-2 victory over UMBC on Sunday.
• Blayke Batten led the Spartans at the plate swinging 2-for-3 with one run scored.
• Brooklynn Maxwell tallied her 10^th home run of the season and went 1-for-3 with one run scored and three RBI.
• Rhyann Jones tallied her fifth win of the season and recorded five strikeouts in the circle during her third complete game of the season.

RUNDOWN ON APP STATE

• The Mountaineers went 23-28 overall last season and 4-18 in the Sun Belt.
• Kayt Houston was selected to the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team while App State was voted to finish last in the Preseason Poll.
• The Mountaineers are coming off back-to-back wins over SoCon foe ETSU. App State won 12-3 in six innings and 13-0 in five innings.
• Following the game against the Spartans, App State will begin Sun Belt play.
• Peyton Darnell leads the team with 25 RBI, while Houston has 21 on the season.
• Houston paces the team with a .458 batting average, while Abby Cunningham is second with a .405 hitting clip and Darnell is swinging .400 at the plate.
• Houston also has 10 doubles and five home runs on the season, as Darnell leads the team with six homers.
• In the circle, Sejal Neas leads the pitching staff with 56.1 innings pitched this season and 51 strikeouts.
• Both Neas and Kaylie Northop has won five games each in the circle.

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UP NEXT 
The Spartans will take some time off and return next week to host Radford for a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 20 with the first game to start at 2:00 p.m.