GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team returns to The Southern Conference (SoCon) action this weekend traveling to Cullowhee, N.C. to face Western Carolina in a three-game series beginning Friday and concluding Saturday.

Tomorrow's game is slated for 6:00 p.m., while the doubleheader will be played on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m.

The Spartans are currently 25-20 overall and 7-5 in the SoCon while the Catamounts are 13-25 overall and 4-8 in conference play.

UNCG swept Western Carolina during the 2023 season and also faced them in the first round of the 2023 SoCon Tournament. The Spartans have swept the series against the Catamounts in each of the last three years.
 

Friday, April 19 Game 1: Opponent: Western Carolina Where: Catamount Softball Complex | Cullowhee, N.C. Time: 6:00 p.m. Live Stats

Saturday, April 20 Game 2: Opponent: Western Carolina Where: Catamount Softball Complex | Cullowhee, N.C. Time: 1:00 p.m. Live Stats   Game 3: Time: 3:00 p.m. Live Stats

 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG is coming off a tough mid-week battle against its sixth ACC opponent with No. 3 Duke, where the Blue Devils took home the 16-3 five-inning victory on Wednesday at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
• Grace Loftin hit a two-run double to score two runs in the bottom of the first for the Spartans only lead of the game.
• Maycin Brown crushed a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, for her second homer of the season.

RUNDOWN ON THE SPARTANS

• Brooklynn Maxwell is pacing the Spartans with a .417 batting average, 36 RBI, and 13 home runs.
• Loftin is second on the team with 31 RBI and 11 homers, while Jessie Shipley is second with a .342 batting average.
• Maxwell is pacing the SoCon in batting average, runs scored, hits, triples, at bats, and assists.
• Maxwell is ranked nationally in the top 10 in three categories: fifth in total bases, 10^th in hits and triples.
• Maxwell and Shipley each lead the team with 13 doubles this season.
• Loftin is 37^th in walks per game (0.71).
• The Spartans are in the top 50 nationally in four categories: eighth in walks (177), 14^th in home runs per game (1.40), 36^th in slugging percentage (0.489), 49^th in triples per game (0.27).
• Salem Ward is pacing the Spartans' pitching staff with 56 strikeouts in 68.2 innings of work.
• Maddie Spell is second on the team with 48 strikeouts in 77.2 innings.
• Rhyann Jones is third on the team with 45 strikeouts in 85.0 innings.
• Spell was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 26), while Anna White was named SoCon Player of the Week (Feb. 26).
• On March 11, Brooklynn Maxwell was named SoCon Player of the Week and Salem Ward was tabbed SoCon Pitcher of the Week.
• Maxwell was also named SoCon Player of the Month for all competition during the month of February and March.

RUNDOWN ON THE CATAMOUNTS

• Western Carolina was voted to finish sixth in the 2024 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Natalie Henry was the lone Catamount selected to the Preseason All-SoCon second team.
• The Catamounts have won two of the last eight games they have played, earning victories over ETSU (3-0) and Wofford (11-4).
• Lily Bell is leading the team and SoCon with 24 stolen bases and is fourth in the conference and leading the team with a .366 batting average.
• Bell is 12^th in the nation in stolen bases and stolen bases per game, as well as 31^st in toughest to strike out.
• Maya PcPherson is second on the team with a .311 batting average.
• Savannah Baldwin is pacing the Catamounts with 29 RBI.
• In 126.1 innings tossed, Tessa Juett has struck out 117 batters and has a kept opponents at a .265 batting clip.

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UP NEXT 
The Spartans return to Greensboro to host in-state foe Charlotte on Wednesday, April 24 with a first pitch slated for 6:00 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium. This will be a Bark in the Park game.