GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team defeated non-conference foe Iona, 5-3, on Friday afternoon at the UNCG Softball Stadium in walk-off home run fashion.
 
This extended the Spartans' win streak to eight and they are now 9-2 overall. This is the longest win streak for UNCG since the 2023 season when the Spartans won nine-straight games between March 17 to March 29.
 

• Two Spartans had multi-hit games, including Betsy Eatmon who went 2-for-3 with one run scored and a double and from Kaylyn Belfield who swung 2-for-3 at the plate with one run scored and a stolen base.
• Grace Loftin led the game with three RBI, going 1-for-4 at the plate with one run scored.
• UNCG tallied the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. Jessie Shipley led off with a double to center field and with one out Loftin hit an RBI groundout to the shortstop that brought Shipley home, 1-0.
• Iona responded with its own run in the top of the third on a RBI single to the shortstop with the bases loaded. The Gaels tied the score at 1-1.
• In the top of the fourth with a runner on second, Brianna Fischer crushed a 2-2 count over the left field wall to give the Gaels a 3-1 advantage.
• Eatmon led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to right center and she made her way around the bases to score on Jorde Chartrand's sacrifice fly that cut the deficit to one, 3-2.
• Samantha Beck's two-out solo home run over the center field wall in the bottom of the fifth tied the game at 3-3. This was her first blast of the season and sixth of her career.
• Both teams left the sixth inning scoreless and the Spartans retired three-straight Gaels in the top of the seventh to keep it tied, 3-3.
• Belfield led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the left side, advanced to second on a wild pitch and then found herself on third with Shipley's sacrifice bunt.
• Following the Spartans' second out, Loftin took a 1-2 pitch over the center field wall for her third homer of the season and 33^rd of her career to secure the 5-3 victory over Iona.

 
PITCHING RECORDS
Salem Ward: W, 6-0
Allison Hoppe: L, 0-3
 
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UP NEXT
The Spartans are back in action tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 22 for one game in the UNCG Invitational against Tennessee Tech with a first pitch slated for 1:00 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.