Softball’s Season Concludes In Heartbreaking Fashion To UNCG In SoCon Championship

Saturday, May 13

Chattanooga, Tenn.

12 PM

Samford University

26-31

UNC Greensboro

37-20

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Samford	3	0	1	1	1	0	0	6	9	0
NC Greensboro	0	0	2	1	2	0	2	7	9	1

Softball’s Season Concludes In Heartbreaking Fashion To UNCG In SoCon Championship

5.13.23 | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Samford softball team fell 7-6 to the UNCG Spartans on Saturday in the Southern Conference Softball Championship Final.

Samford held leads of 4-0 and 6-3 before surrendering back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the seventh to the Spartans for the 7-6 defeat.

The Bulldogs finish the season with an overall record of 26-31 with second place SoCon finishes in both the regular season and the tournament.

Jordyn Partain got the start in the circle for Samford but was dealt a no-decision after allowing three runs in 3.1 innings of work. SoCon Pitcher of the Year McKenzie Newcomb was handed the loss for the Bulldogs as the sophomore surrendered a quartet of runs on five hits in three innings.

On the biggest stage, Grier Bruce had her best game of the week going 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored. Bruce's third inning solo home run was her 14th dinger of the year, which is the second most by a Bulldog in program history.

Logan Champion joined Bruce in the multi-hit club by going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a pair of runs scored. The trio of Kinley Pate, Sarah Squillace and Ansley Yantis each walked twice on the day.

The Bulldogs came out of the gates swinging hot bats and put up a three spot on the scoreboard in the top of the first that was highlighted by a two-run RBI single up the middle by Champion that was followed by an RBI double to right field by Newcomb.

Brue's no-doubter to left field in the top of the third pushed the Bulldog advantage to 4-0 before UNCG got two runs back in the home half of the third to make it a 4-2 ballgame with three frames in the book.

The two squads in the SoCon traded runs in the fifth inning. Merritt Cahoon roped a single to left field that plated Squillace before the Spartans hit their first of four home runs in the fourth inning to make it a 5-3 contest.

Samford's final run of the game came in the fifth inning when Squillace worked a bases loaded walk that scored Champion. UNCG made it a 6-5 game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth.

After a quiet and scoreless sixth, The Spartan's back-to-back championship-winning solo home runs came with one out in the bottom of the seventh off of Newcomb.

Despite the defeat, the Bulldog trio of Cahoon, Squillace and Newcomb were named to the SoCon All-Tournament team for their valiant efforts.

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).