BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –  The SoCon Softball Regular Season Champions will be named this weekend as the top-seeded Samford Bulldogs and UNCG Spartans battle for the title with a three-game series starting with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by a 1 p.m. single-game on Sunday at the Samford Softball Stadium.
 
Samford and UNC Greensboro are currently tied for first place in the SoCon with both teams holding an overall conference record of 14-1. The Bulldogs and Spartans both dropped their lone game to Furman University with Samford falling 1-0 and UNCG 5-3 to the Paladins. This past weekend, the Bulldogs continued their winning streak with their fifth sweep of the season against ETSU, securing the early series win with 3-1 and 7-3 (8 inn.) victories before edging the Buccaneers 1-0 the following day. Freshman McKayla Cothran led the way offensively for Samford with six hits in her 11 plate appearances, while senior Timberlyn Shurbutt drove in a team-high three runs and smacked her seventh homer of the season.
 
The reigning SoCon champions, UNC Greensboro, have continued to see success in its 2022 season with an overall record of 35-15. The Spartans are currently hitting .277 as a team, tallying 375 hits in 1,353 at-bats with UNCG firing off 67 doubles, six triples and a conference-high 92 home runs. Graduate student Jordan Gontram is a force to be reckon with at the plate for the Spartans with the Wake Forest, N.C., native recording a team-high 47 RBIs and 18 home runs after being just one-of-three to start in all 50 contests for UNC Greensboro.
 
BY THE NUMBERS:
 
After 45 contests, Samford is hitting .273 as a team with 28 home runs, 186 runs scored on 335 hits and 160 RBIs. The team is slugging .391, holds a .344 on-base clip and has swiped 47 bases on 55 attempts.
 
COVERAGE:
 
This weekend's action will be available to watch on ESPN+, while fans can also follow along via live stats. Coverage links are available on the Samford softball schedule page, https://samfordsports.com/sports/softball/schedule.
 
SERIES HISTORY:

• Both teams have taken the diamond together 42 times with UNC Greensboro holding a slight 22-20 series advantage. In their last meeting, the Spartans captured the series sweep over Samford with three-straight wins at the UNCG Softball Stadium.

 
BULLDOGS TO WATCH:

• Senior Mary Katherine Tedder continues to take the Southern Conference by storm, ranking top five in eight different offensive categories. The Birmingham native claims the top spot in doubles with 17, while holding the second highest batting average in the league with a .364 clip. Tedder has started in all 45 games this season, recording 29 runs on 48 hits, six home runs, and a team-high 37 RBIs.
• Freshman Sarah Squillace has had a standout college debut season, ranking second on the team and eighth in the SoCon with a .316 batting average after logging 48 hits in 152 at-bats. The Woodstock, Ga., native has driven in 10 runs for the Bulldogs while registering 33 runs, five doubles, and six stolen bases.

 
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford softball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordSports (Facebook), @SamfordSB (Twitter), and @SamfordSB (Instagram).