GREENSBORO, N.C. – After battling through five games at the SoCon Tournament, the Samford softball team wrapped up its 2022 season with a 6-1 victory over Furman University prior to a 3-0 loss to UNC Greensboro on Friday afternoon at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
 
BOX SCORE: GAME ONE (PDF)
BOX SCORE: GAME TWO (PDF)
 
GAME 1
Final: Furman 1 | Samford 6
 
Freshman McKenzie Newcomb threw her 20th and final complete game of the 2022 season, permitting no earned runs on five hits with just one walk and five strikeouts over the 7.0 innings. Newcomb closed out her rookie campaign with a 21-8 overall record, posting a 2.39 ERA after giving up 62 runs in 188.1 innings in her 34 appearances this year.  
 
Samford made the most of a Furman throwing error to open scoring in the bottom of the third as pinch runner Lindsey Nelson made it back home for the Bulldogs. In the next play, Samford extended its lead by two runs after senior Timberlyn Shurtbutt knocked a two-bag hit on a 1-2 count to score senior Mary Katherine Tedder and rookie McKayla Cothran.
 
The Paladins responded in the top of the next frame, cutting into the Bulldog lead by one run with Caitlin Goldwait lacing one up the middle to plate Emily Bartlett on second. Samford would be unphased, continuing its offensive attack in the bottom of the fifth and sixth with a combined three runs. One run came in the fifth with the Bulldogs once again capitalizing off a Paladin error after Furman's Chloe Fabio mishandled a ball at third base for Amanda Briskin to score.
 
The final two runs were added to the board in the sixth with sophomore Ansley Yantis firing off her first-career triple to plate pinch runner Abigail Dorsett. With only one out, senior Kolby Holcombe stepped to the dish and grounded out to shortstop to drive in Yantis. McKenzie Newcomb finished the job in the top of the seventh, stranding three on base for Furman to give Samford a 6-1 victory over the Paladins.
 
GAME 2
Final: Samford 0 | UNCG 3
 
It was nothing but a pitcher's duel through the first four innings with Samford stranding seven Spartans on base compared to UNCG's six. With both teams scoreless heading into the fifth, the Bulldogs found themselves retired in order before UNCG plated a run in the bottom half of the inning behind two-bag hits. Makenna Matthijs knocked a first-swing, leadoff double to right center before Jordan Gontram registered an RBI double one play later for the slight 1-0, Spartan advantage.
 
UNC Greensboro increased its lead to 3-0 in the sixth inning after Delaney Cumbie executed a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Brooklyn Maxwell and advance Tori Dalehiite. This was followed by an RBI double from Matthijs to plate Dalehite before Maycin Brown grounded out to Merritt Cahoon for a 3-0 Spartan victory.
 
Freshman right-hander Jordyn Partain earned a tough loss in the circle, giving up just one earned run on six hits while collecting five walks and three strikeouts. Partain closed out the 2022 season with an 11-9 overall record, putting in 143.1 innings of work and striking out 74 batters at the plate.
 
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