Breneman Earns 500th Career Win, Spartans Sweep Elon in Doubleheader
ELON, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team earned its third-straight win, sweeping in-state foe Elon on Saturday in a doubleheader at Hunt Softball Park in non-conference play.
The Spartans took game one 6-2 and Head Coach Janelle Breneman earned her 500th career victory as a head coach. UNCG then defeated the Phoenix 7-3 in game two and totaled 12 hits. This was the fourth game this season that the Spartans recorded 10 or more hits in a game.
Game 1: UNCG 6 – Elon 2
Elon scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the second on three hits. The first two batters singled to the outfield and were put in scoring position for Drew Menscer to drive them home for a 2-0 advantage.
The Spartans’ Samantha Beck led off the top of the fifth with an infield single and she made her way around the bases, eventually scoring off a bases-loaded walk from Brooklynn Maxwell. Grace Loftin also walked with the bases loaded and two outs tying the game, 2-2.
UNCG had another two-run inning in the top of the sixth, doubling its advantage, 4-2. With one out and runners on second and third, Meredith Harwood grounded out to the shortstop, scoring Rylie Williams on the play. Tori Dalehite followed with a RBI single to score Beck easily from third, 4-2.
With one last go at the plate, UNCG extended its lead to four, 6-2, with two runs on three hits in the top of the seventh. Jessie Shipley and Grace Loftin led off the frame with back-to-back singles and soon moved into scoring position. Shipley found her way home by way of a wild pitch and Beck drove in the final run on a single to left, for her third hit of the game.
Maddie Spell retired 11-straight batters from the bottom of the fourth to the bottom of the seventh to hold on for her seventh win of the season. She struck out two batters, gave up four hits, and only walked one batter in her third complete game of the season.
Shipley, Loftin, and Beck each had multi-hit games. Beck went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI, and a stolen base. Loftin went 2-for-3 with one run scored, one RBI, one walk, and a double. Shipley hit 2-for-4 at the plate with one run scored and a double.
Pitching Records:
Maddie Spell: W, 7-4
McKenna McCard: L, 1-3
Game 2: UNCG 7 – Elon 3
After two scoreless innings, UNCG got on the board first with five runs on five hits in the top of the third. Dalehite led off the frame with a single through the left side and she found her way around the bases as Brooklynn Maxwell crushed her seventh home run of the season, 2-0. With Shipley on third, White punched the ball out to right center bringing her home, 3-0. After two outs, Maycin Brown doubled to right center scoring Beck and Jorde Chartrand for a 5-0 advantage.
The Phoenix was able to cut the deficit to four, 5-1, in their half of the third on Reagan Harltey’s single that scored Gabi Schaal. The Spartans quickly earned that run back on White’s sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home Shipley in the top of the fourth, 6-1.
Elon scored another run in the bottom of the fourth on one hit and one error, 6-2, but UNCG would counter once more as Dalehite hit her first double of the season to score Madelyn McKinnon with two outs in the top of the fifth, 7-2.
The Phoenix added one more run to its total in the bottom of the seventh on Wells’ one-out double, but Rhyann Jones struck out her fifth batter of the game for the second out and retired the side with a ground out to secure the win, 7-3.
In the circle, Jones tossed her first complete game of the season, striking out five batters, and giving up just four hits, and three runs. Shipley led the offensive attack, swinging 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Maxwell, White, and Dalehite each had two hits.
Pitching Records:
Rhyann Jones: W, 1-3
Meredith Wells: L, 0-4
Records:
UNCG: 10-10
Elon: 5-12
PURCHASE UNCG GEAR
UNCGgear.com is your one-stop shop for all of your official UNCG merchandise! From apparel to accessories, there is something for everyone!
UP NEXT
UNCG returns home for the first time since February 18 to host Elon foe the final game of the three-game series. The Spartans and Phoenix are set to face off at 1:00 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
All regular season home games are free admission. Concessions will open March 3 and outside food will not be permitted when concessions open. All weekday home games (not including Friday) will be Bark in the Park games, where spectators can bring their dogs.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro