UNCG Softball Falls to Samford, Bounces Back to Defeat Wofford
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team began the 2025 Southern Conference (SoCon) Tournament with a close 5-4 loss to No. 3 Samford but bounced back with a 3-1 victory over No. 4 Wofford to survive and advance at Hope Field on Thursday.
UNCG is now 39-17 overall and will face No. 5 Mercer, who is 34-24 overall, on Friday, May 9 at 1:00 p.m.
GAME 1: UNCG 4 – Samford 5
After a scoreless first inning, Laney Deane crushed a solo home run to center field for her sixth blast of the season, putting UNCG up 1-0 in the bottom of the second.
Hadley Gardner followed with her own solo blast over the left-field fence for her 11th of the season, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Grace Loftin walked in UNCG’s third run of the inning.
Samford responded in the top of the third with an RBI triple from McKayla Cothran that scored Joi Hubbard with two outs cutting the deficit to 3-1.
Both teams threatened in the fourth inning and stranded three on base each.
The Bulldogs took over the lead in the top of the fifth with three runs on four hits, including an Olivia Shaw three-run bomb, 4-3.
They added another run on Hubbard’s RBI double that scored Linsey Hargis from second for a 5-3 advantage in the top of the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Loftin hit her team-leading 14th home run of the season over the center-field fence putting the Spartans within one, 5-4.
Both teams stranded runners on in the seventh, as Samford held on for the win.
PITCHING RECORD
Jorde Chartrand: L, 10-7
Jordyn Partain: W, 15-13
GAME 2: UNCG 3 – Wofford 1
Following three scoreless innings, Loftin reached on an error and Jorde Chartrand moved her over on a single to right field in the bottom of the fourth with one out.
Michael then drove the ball over the center fielder’s head giving UNCG a 2-0 advantage.
Wofford looked to respond in the top of the fifth, but the Spartans kept them from scoring, as the Terriers stranded two on base.
In the bottom of the sixth, Michael walked on four-straight balls and Deane singled up the middle with one out.
Madelyn McKinnon dropped a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over, before Gardner drove in Michael on a single. The Spartans went up 3-0 before the Terriers threw out the trailing runner to end the inning.
Wofford tallied a run in the bottom of the seventh off a two-out sacrifice fly from Hope Ingle and the Spartans retired the side on another fly out securing the win.
PITCHING RECORD
Salem Ward: W, 15-6
Abby Greenwood: L, 9-6
Jorde Chartrand: S, 4
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UP NEXT
UNCG will now face No. 5 Mercer tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. The winner of that game will play the loser of No. 3 Samford vs. No. 1 Chattanooga at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro