Softball Powers Past NCCU, 14-5, in Season Opener
ELON, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team earned a dominating 14-5 five-inning victory over North Carolina Central University (NCCU) on Thursday evening at Hunt Softball Park to open the 2025 season.
Two Spartans had multi-hit games, including freshman Macy Michael who went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored and a game-best four RBI.
Senior Grace Loftin hit 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Senior Meredith Harwood, junior Rylie Williams and sophomore Nya South were the other Spartans with multi-RBI games, recording two each.
Junior Salem Ward tossed 4.0 innings, struck out five batters, gave up just one hit and earned her first win of the season. This was her 15th career win in the circle.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Eagles saw one base runner in each of the first four innings.
The Spartans capitalized on one hit, three walks and one hit-by-pitch to score four runs. Harwood's single was the only hit of the frame, which drove in Loftin and Hadley Gardner.
UNCG added two more runs in the bottom of the second on Loftin and Betsy Eatmon's RBI singles for a 6-0 advantage.
The Eagles cut the deficit to five, 6-1, as Kendall Smith fouled out to left field which scored Daiyah Bailey from third base.
NCCU fended off UNCG in the bottom of the third, as two Spartans were stranded on base. In the bottom of the fourth, the Blue & Gold's offense exploded, stringing together five hits and three walks for eight runs. Michael blasted a solo homer to lead off the inning, 7-0. Williams and South each had a RBI single before Michael crushed a two-out three-run home run to put the Spartans up 14-1.
During their final at bats before UNCG could claim an eight-run five-inning victory, the Eagles capitalized on three hits and two errors to score four runs. In her collegiate debut, freshman Addy Berry struck out the final batter to hold on to the win, 14-5.
PITCHING RECORDS
Salem Ward: W, 1-0
Janae Hudson: L, 0-1
RECORDS:
UNCG: 1-0
NCCU: 0-2
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UP NEXT
The Spartans will face Ohio State tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. at Hunt Softball Complex in their next game of the Elon Softball Classic.
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