2025 SoCon Softball Tournament Landing Page

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team who earned the No. 2 seed in the 2025 Southern Conference (SoCon) Softball Tournament, presented by One Spartanburg will face off against the No. 3 Samford Bulldogs or No. 7 ETSU on Thursday, May 8 with a first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Hope Field in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

The Spartans are currently 38-16 overall and concluded the regular season 14-6 in the conference. The Bulldogs are 31-21 overall and 12-7 in the league. ETSU is 18-35 overall and 6-15 in the SoCon.

This is the fifth-straight season with 30 or more wins for the Spartans and 10^th season with 30 or more wins under the direction of Head Coach Janelle Breneman.
 

Thursday, May 8
Opponent: No. 3 Samford/No. 7 ETSU
Where: Spartanburg, S.C. | Hope Field
Time:  1:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+)

 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG concluded the regular season with a doubleheader sweep over Western Carolina after losing a game to weather.
• The Spartans defeated the Catamounts 7-3 and 9-1 in six innings.
• In game one, Macy Michael began the Spartans' scoring with her second grand slam of the season.
• UNCG never gave up the lead and totaled 12 hits in the win.
• In game two, the Spartans once again took control early and was able to run rule the Catamounts after breaking the game open in the bottom of the sixth with six runs.
• Chrissy Rabenold, in a pinch-hit situation, doubled down the left-field line with the bases loaded to take the win 9-1.
• UNCG had 11 hits in the second game.
• Reese Byrd tossed 6.0 innings, giving up just four hits, one earned run and striking out four batters for her 11^th win of the season.

AWARD SEASON

• UNCG was chosen to finish second in the 2025 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Spartans received one first-place vote.  
• Grace Loftin was named to the SoCon Preseason First Team, while Betsy Eatmon and Chartrand were voted to the Preseason Second Team.
• Most recently, Michael was named SoCon Freshman of the Year, All-Conference Second Team and All-Freshman Team.
• She is the fourth Spartan in program history to be named SoCon Freshman of the Year. The last time a Spartan was named SoCon Freshman of the Year was in 2021 when Morgan Scott earned the feat.
• Eatmon, Kaylyn Belfield, Loftin and Chartrand were voted to the All-Conference First Team, while Hadley Gardner earned All-Freshman Team recognition.
• Salem Ward earned SoCon Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 17 after going 4-0 in the Spiro Invitational.
• Gardner earned SoCon Player of the Week, while Chartrand was tabbed SoCon Pitcher of the Week after the Spartans' 4-0 weekend at the CSU Round Robin.
• Michael earned SoCon Player of the Week after swinging 5-for-6 with eight RBI, one double, a home run and three runs scored in the two games against Western Carolina.

RANKINGS (National & SoCon)

• UNCG is nationally ranked in the top 25 in home runs (11th/77), home runs per game (16th/1.43) and total sacrifice bunts (22nd/42).
• Chartrand's ERA is nationally ranked 42nd, while her 5.05 hits allowed per seven innings is 34th in the nation.
• Jessie Shipley is ranked 34^th nationally with 117 assists and 45^th with 2.29 assists per game.
• Loftin is leading the SoCon in home runs, slugging percentage and total bases.
• The Spartans are leading the SoCon in 11 categories, including hits, home runs, home runs per game, on-base percentage, RBI per game, RBI, scoring, slugging percentage, total runs, total sacrifice flies and walks.

SHUTOUTS, WALK-OFF WINS & SEASON BESTS

• UNCG has had six shutouts this season.
• This season, the Spartans have walked off in six games: vs. Toledo (16-14), Iona (5-3), Fairfield (4-2), Radford (2-1), Wofford (2-1 and 9-8).
• The Spartans have had 18 games this season with double-figure hits.
• UNCG's 18 hits in a 16-14 victory over Toledo on Feb. 16 was the most this year. It was the most hits in a single game since Feb. 17, 2017, in a 19-1 victory over Rider in Greensboro.
• UNCG accomplished scoring 16 runs twice this season, once versus Toledo and then on March 2 against Elon. This was the most since March 27, 2022, in a 19-1 victory against Mercer.
• UNCG has hit four grand slams this season: Feb. 8 - Meredith Harwood vs. UConn (Elon, N.C. | Hunt Softball Park), Feb. 26 – Macy Michael vs. NC A&T (Greensboro, N.C. | Aggie Softball Complex), March 14 – Hadley Gardner vs. Charleston Southern (Charleston, S.C. | CSU Softball Complex) and May 3 – Macy Michael vs. Western Carolina (Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Softball Stadium)

SPARTAN LEADERS

• Belfield is leading the Spartans with a .425 batting average and has successfully stolen 12-of-15 bases.
• Loftin is leading the Spartans with 59 hits, swinging .366 at the plate in 54 games played with a team-high 51 RBI. She also paces the team with 13 doubles, three triples and 13 home runs.
• Shipley and Gardner are second on the team with 10 homers each. Chartrand and Michael have hit nine homers each, while Rylie Williams has seven home runs.
• Chartrand, Shipley and Samantha Beck each have nine doubles and are second on the team.
• Along with Loftin, nine other Spartans have double-figure RBI, with all 10 totaling 20 or more. Chartrand is second on the team with 35 RBI and Michael is third with 34 RBI.
• Chartrand leads the pitching staff with a 2.04 ERA and 84 strikeouts. She is 10-6 when in the circle with six complete games and three saves in her 123.1 innings pitched.
• She has kept batters to a .205 batting clip in her 27 appearances and 20 game starts.
• Ward is second on the pitching staff with a 2.88 ERA and 88 strikeouts. She has a 14-6 record this season with seven complete games and three saves in 128.2 innings of work.
• Head Coach Janelle Breneman, who is the most winningest Spartan head coach, earned her 400^th win at the helm of the Spartans following a 7-2 win over Saint Francis on Feb. 16.

RECAP OF 2024 SEASON

• The Spartans concluded the 2024 season 33-26 overall and 13-8 in the SoCon.
• It was the fourth-straight season with 30 or more wins.
• It was also the ninth year with 30 or more wins under the direction of Breneman, who is in her 13^th year with the Blue & Gold.
• The Spartans reached the SoCon Championship game for the sixth-straight year in 2024, excluding the COVID 2020 shortened season, falling to Chattanooga in the double-elimination game.
• UNCG added four freshmen and two transfers following the 2024 season.

RUNDOWN ON NO. 3 SAMFORD

• Olivia Shaw was named to the 2025 All-SoCon First team for infield and designated player or utility/non-pitcher.
• Grier Bruce, Sarah Squillace and McKayla Cothran were selected to the Second Team.
• Joi Hubbard and Ella Nelson earned All-Freshman Team recognition.
• Samford finished the 2024 season 24-32 overall and 12-9 in the SoCon.
• Samford was voted to finish fourth in the 2025 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Logan Champion and Shaw were named to the 2025 SoCon Preseason All-Conference First Team, while Jordyn Partain, Squillace and Cothran were voted to the Second Team.
• UNCG took the series against the Bulldogs this season with scores of 3-1 and 5-3, but fell 6-5.

RUNDOWN ON NO. 7 ETSU

• Cameron Young and Sarah Muir were voted to the 2025 All-SoCon Second Team.
• Last season, ETSU finished 11-39 overall and 6-16 in the conference.
• ETSU was voted to finish last in the 2025 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Young was voted the 2025 SoCon Preseason Player of the Year after hitting .394 with 17 doubles, 23 RBI and a 1.013 OPS.
• Brylee Mesusan and Riley Nayadley were named 2025 Preseason All-Conference Second Team honorees.
• The Spartans took the series with scores of 6-0 and 3-1 but fell 3-1.

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UP NEXT 
The winner of this game will face the winner of No. 1 Chattanooga/No. 5 Mercer on Friday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. in a semifinal matchup.

The loser of this game will play later on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. against the loser of No. 4 Wofford.  

Click here for 2025 SoCon Softball Championship Information