GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team swept Western Carolina in The Southern Conference (SoCon) regular season finale doubleheader on Sunday at UNCG Softball Stadium with scores of 7-3 and 9-1.
 
UNCG is 38-16 overall and 14-6 in the SoCon, while Western Carolina is 22-30 overall and 6-14 in the conference.
 
Game one on Sunday was a continuation of Saturday's game that was halted in the top of the second inning due to weather. Prior to the continuation of game one, UNCG recognized its six seniors, including Jessie Shipley, Meredith Harwood, Grace Loftin, Maria Nunez, Gracyn Millsaps and Jorde Chartrand.
 
GAME 1: UNCG 7 – WCU 3

• Western Carolina stranded two runners on base to begin the game, as the Spartans' Salem Ward struck out Sydney Dirks for the final out of the frame.
• In the bottom of the first, Kaylyn Belfield led off with a walk, Shipley singled and with one out, the bases got loaded by way of a single from Harwood.
• Macy Michael, battling a full count, connected on the 10^th pitch of her at-bat sending it over the right-field wall for a grand slam and her ninth homer of the season for a 4-0 lead.
• The Catamounts put runners on first and second to start the top of the second from singles and Imara Harrell moved them over into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt.
• Tate Stewman then singled to center field to score Natalie Henry from third, cutting Western Carolina's deficit to three, 4-1.
• The Spartans added a run in the bottom of the third as Michael began the inning with a double to left field.
• Hadley Gardner drove the ball out to right field putting Spartans on corners for Laney Deane's RBI single through the right side extending UNCG's lead to 5-1.
• The Catamounts threatened in the top of the fourth loading the bases, but Ward retired the side with her third strikeout of the game keeping UNCG up 5-1.
• Following two scoreless innings, the Catmounts pushed across two runs on three hits in the top of the sixth, cutting the defict to 5-3.
• UNCG answered with two runs on two hits and one error in the bottom of the frame to get back to a four-run advantage, 7-3.
• With Shipley on third and Harwood on second, Michael drove the ball up the middle to go up 7-3. The Spartans then loaded the bases, but the Catamounts retired the side with a force out at home and then a strikeout to stop UNCG's momentum.
• Ward held on for the win by getting the Catamounts to have two ground outs and a fly out in the top of the seventh.

 
PITCHING RECORD
Salem Ward: W, 14-6
Tessa Juett: L, 9-15
 
GAME 2: UNCG 9 – WCU 1 (6 inn.)

• Reese Byrd took down the Catamounts in the top of the first on two quick ground outs and her first strikeout of the game.
• With Spartans on second and third with one out in the bottom of the first, Harwood struck out swinging but reached first on a passed ball giving Shipley time to score for UNCG's first run of the game.
• Two scoreless innings passed until the Spartans scored a run each in the fourth and fifth innings for a 3-0 lead.
• In the bottom of the fourth, Betsy Eatmon drove in Michael from third on an RBI single to left field with two outs, 2-0.
• Belfield led off the bottom of the fifth with a double to left field and Shipley followed with a walk before Grace Loftin hit a bunt single down the third base line to load the bases.
• With one out, Michael hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left field adding a tally to the scoreboard, 3-0.
• Western Carolina was able to string together two hits to cut the deficit to 3-1 in the top of the sixth.
• In the bottom of the frame, UNCG tallied six runs on four hits and one error to take the six-inning run-rule victory, 9-1.
• The first six Spartans up at the plate reached base, as Eatmon hit an RBI triple for the first run and Nya South drove her in on an RBI single, before Loftin walked with the bases loaded and no one out for another run.
• With one out, Michael also walked with the bases juiced, putting UNCG up 7-1.
• Following a second out, Chrissy Rabenold came in to pinch hit and doubled down the left-field line on her first pitch of the at-bat, for the game-winning knock.

 
PITCHING RECORD
Reese Byrd: W, 11-3
Amanda Fulton: L, 10-8
 
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UP NEXT
With the doubleheader sweep and Chattanooga winning its series against ETSU, 2-1, the Spartans will have the second seed in the 2025 SoCon Softball Championship, presented by One Spartanburg. The Tournament will take place from May 7-10 at Hope Field, hosted by Wofford, in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
 
Click here for the SoCon Softball Championship Central