UNCG Softball Opens SoCon Play at ETSU
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team is set to begin its Southern Conference (SoCon) slate this weekend traveling to Johnson City, Tennessee for three games.
The Spartans are currently 16-14 overall, while the Buccaneers are 4-14 overall.
Saturday, March 23
Opponent: ETSU
Where: Betty Basler Field | Johnson City, Tenn.
Time: 1 p.m.
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats
Saturday, March 23
Opponent: ETSU
Where: Betty Basler Field | Johnson City, Tenn.
Time: 3 p.m.
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats
Sunday, March 24
Opponent: ETSU
Where: Betty Basler Field | Johnson City, Tenn.
Time: 1 p.m.
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats
RUNDOWN ON THE SPARTANS
Maxwell is pacing the Spartans with a .419 batting average, 30 RBI, and 10 home runs.
Grace Loftin is second on the team with 22 RBI, while Shipley is second with a .375 batting average.
Maxwell is pacing the SoCon in runs scored (33), hits (44), RBI (30), triples (5), at bats (105), and assists (78).
Maxwell is ranked nationally in the top 10 in four categories: second in total bases, third in triples, sixth in hits, and 10th in triples per game.
Jessie Shipley is 13th in the nation with 11 doubles.
The Spartans are in the top 50 nationally in three categories: seventh in walks (118), 10th in home runs per game (1.43), and 38th in slugging percentage (0.493).
Salem Ward is pacing the Spartans’ pitching staff with 41 strikeouts in 43.1 innings of work.
Rhyann Jones is second on the team with 40 strikeouts in 60.0 innings.
Maddie Spell was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 26), while Anna White was named SoCon Player of the Week (Feb. 26).
On March 11, Brooklynn Maxwell was named SoCon Player of the Week and Salem Ward was tabbed SoCon Pitcher of the Week.
UNCG was chosen to finish first in The Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Spartans received four first-place votes.
Senior Brooklynn Maxwell, redshirt-junior Maddie Spell, and junior Jorde Chartrand were named to the SoCon Preseason first team.
Junior Grace Loftin and sophomore Rhyann Jones were named to the SoCon Preseason second team.
UNCG won its sixth-straight SoCon Regular Season title in 2023.
The Spartans won their third SoCon Tournament Championship in route to the program’s seventh NCAA Tournament bid.
This was their third ticket to the NCAA Tournament in six years.
Maycin Brown and Blayke Batten return for their fifth year in the Blue & Gold.
UNCG added five freshmen and one transfer to the 2024 roster.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
UNCG is coming off a doubleheader split with non-conference and Big South foe Radford on Wednesday at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
The Spartans took game one in nine innings behind a walk-off two-run home run from Anna White for a 3-1 victory.
In the circle, Ward contributed with a career-best 11 strikeouts.
In game two, the Highlanders came away with the 4-3 win.
Tori Dalehite, Meredith Harwood, and Maycin Brown each had a home run in the loss.
RUNDOWN ON THE BUCS
The Bucs were voted to finish seventh in the SoCon.
Cameron Young was voted to the Preseason All-SoCon first team, while Riley Nayadley was selected to the second team.
ETSU is coming off five-straight losses, most recently a doubleheader loss to Appalachian State.
The Bucs last win was a 3-2 eight-inning win over Robert Morris.
Young is averaging .435 at the plate, with three other Bucs over .300.
Sara Muir is leading the charge with 12 RBI, while Young has 11 on the season.
Brylee Mesuan is 7-for-9 in stealing bases.
Muir has tossed 38.0 innings, striking out a team best 21 batters.
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UP NEXT
The Spartans return home to host SoCon foe Furman next weekend for a three-game series with a doubleheader on Friday, March 29 starting at 1 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium. UNCG and Furman will battle again on Sunday, March 30 for a single game at 1:00 p.m.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro