Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. ---- Samford's incredible run to the SoCon Tournament semifinals as the tournament ninth-seed came to an unfortunate end Friday afternoon, as the Bulldogs fell to the host team and fourth-seeded UNCG Spartans, 12-2, in 5.0 innings.
 
“I am so proud of everything this team has done all week,” said Head Coach Mandy Burford.  “This wasn't a fluke and they didn't just get hot at the right time.  This is exactly what this team really is.  This is the team we see every single day in practice.”
 
Samford (17-35) fell behind early as a potent UNCG (38-18) lineup put the Bulldogs in an early deficit that proved too large to overcome.  The lockdown defense that had defined Samford throughout the tournament was uncharacteristically sloppy, committing four errors that ultimately led to five unearned runs.  Shelby Scott (7-16) started her fifth game of the tournament, throwing 3.0 combined innings throughout the game to take the tough loss.  SoCon Freshman of the Year Lindsay Thomas provided a spark in the Spartan lineup, going 3-3 with two home runs and five RBI while starter Erica Navarette (10-7) threw a complete-game victory in the circle.
 
Samford finishes the season with a 17-35 record, their most wins in a single-season since 2010.  The Bulldogs are the first ever ninth seed to advance to the SoCon Tournament and their three postseason wins is the most every at Samford.
 
UNCG's potent offense was clicking right away, as Aisha Figueroa knocked in a leadoff double and Lindsay Thomas drove her in with a single to left field, making it 1-0 UNCG.  After a popup in foul territory for the first out, Heather Robb made it a 3-0 game with a long two-run homer to left field.  A one-out walk spelled an early exit for Scott in the circle as Misha Aldridge entered to pitch.  Caroline Seay fielded a high hopper up the middle, tagging out the runner at second for out number two and a groundout to Abby Adams at short ended it as Samford was playing with their first deficit of the tournament, trailing 3-0.
 
With a pair on base in the top of the second and one out, SoCon Freshman of the Year Lindsay Thomas doubled the Spartans' lead with a three-run homer to center field, making it 6-0.  That forced Samford to use their third pitcher of the day as Caitlin Bice entered the circle for the first time in the SoCon Tournament.  With a pair of runners on base, Eileen Horsmon made it a 7-0 game with a double to the left-field corner to put two in scoring position with still only one out.  A sacrifice fly made it 8-0 but a groundout stopped the bleeding with UNCG holding a significant eight-run lead through 1 1/2 innings.
 
A pair of errors allowed two UNCG batters to reach base safely in the third and a one-out walk loaded the bases for Chelsea Strandlund, who drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 9-0 UNCG as Scott re-entered the game to pitch for Samford in the third.  A fly ball to right field kept the runners in place for the second out but a single dropped into shallow center to add two more to UNCG's lead as they went up 11-0.  A popup in foul territory ended the half-inning with the Spartans now holding a double-digit lead.
 
Abby Adams got Samford's first hit of the game in the bottom of the third, leading off the half-inning by beating out an infield single.  Caroline Seay followed that with a single to shallow left and Megan Dowdy moved them into scoring position off a groundout to the right side.  Kayla Shaffer prevented the shutout, scoring Adams from third off a sacrifice fly and Callie Brister added another with an RBI single up the middle to score Seay in the following at-bat.  A strikeout ended it as Samford had cut the deficit to 11-2.
 
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, a hit baseman and fielding error allowed two Bulldog runners to reach base safely and Abby Adams loaded the bases with a hard single to center field.  A popup and groundout would strand the bases loaded however as the Bulldogs were unable to cut into the 11-2 deficit.
 
Thomas hit her second home run of the day in the top of the fifth, firing a one-out solo shot to center to stretch the Spartans' lead to 12-2.  That would be UNCG's only run in the inning as Samford headed to the bottom of the fifth needing at least three runs to stay alive.  Samford would go three up, three down in the bottom-half of the inning as the postseason run ended in the SoCon semifinals.
 
UNCG will advance to Saturday's SoCon Championship, facing the winner of this afternoon's College of Charleston vs. Georgia Southern matchup.