UNCG Softball Sweeps ETSU in Sunday Doubleheader
JOHNSON CITY, TENN. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team earned its first Southern Conference (SoCon) sweep of the season with three-straight wins over ETSU, playing two games on Sunday at Betty Basler Field.
This makes it nine-straight wins over ETSU making it the third-straight series sweep since the 2022 season.
GAME 1 : UNCG – 8 , ETSU – 1
The Spartans got on the board in the top of the second as Kiley McQuillan led off the game with a double to left field. Betsy Eatmon hit her own double with one out to drive in McQuillan for a 1-0 lead.
Rhyann Jones retired 13-straight batters for ETSU from the first to the fifth innings, keeping them off base. UNCG added another two runs in the top of the third with Grace Loftin’s solo home run to left field, 2-0, and another McQuillan double scoring Anna White, 3-0. The Bucs got out of a bases-loaded jam in the inning with a strikeout.
Samantha Beck’s fourth home run of the season in the top of the fifth inning extended the Spartans’ lead to 4-0, but the Bucs responded with their own run in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double from Faith Adams, 4-1.
Brooklynn Maxwell hit her 12th home run of the season in the top of the sixth with one out over the left field fence for a 5-1 advantage. The Spartans were able to tack on three more runs in the top of the seventh on three hits, including Maxwell’s RBI double and Tori Dalehite’s RBI single. Jones held on for the win retiring three-straight batters on a ground out, pop up, and her second strike out of the game.
Pitching Records:
Rhyann Jones: W, 4-4
Whitley Arnott: L, 1-2
GAME 2: UNCG – 5, ETSU – 1
UNCG scored five runs between the third and fourth innings to go up 5-0 on ETSU. With runners in scoring position and one out, Maxwell hit a sacrifice fly to score Madelyn McKinnon for a 1-0 lead. Loftin followed with an RBI single to left center extending the lead to 2-0. After White doubled to put runners back on second and third, McQuillan singled to left center for a two-out, two-run hit and a 4-0 advantage.
In the circle, Maddie Spell retired nine-straight from ETSU from the second to the fifth innings. In the top of the fourth, UNCG added its fifth run as Jessie Shipley hit a bunt single to the pitcher and Rylie Williams crossed home, 5-0.
Following a scoreless fifth inning for either team, ETSU’s Riley Nayadley led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to left field cutting the deficit to four, 5-1.
Spell completed her eighth win with 6.0 innings tossed and six strikeouts, while Reese Byrd came in relief, tossing 1.0 inning with one strikeout.
Pitching Records:
Maddie Spell: W, 8-5
Taylor Suchy: L, 0-6
Records:
UNCG: 19-14, 3-0 SoCon
ETSU: 4-17, 0-3 SoCon
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The Spartans return home to host Furman for their second SoCon series this Friday and Saturday at the UNCG Softball Stadium. On March 29, UNCG and Furman will play a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. and on March 30, the two teams are scheduled for a single game at 1:00 p.m.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro