No. 1 seed UNCG 2, No. 2 seed Samford 1 (9 innings)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Jessie Shipley hit a walk-off RBI double to propel No. 1 seed UNCG into the championship round of the SoCon Softball Championship as the Spartans defeated No. 2 seed Samford, 2-1, in nine innings on Friday at Frost Stadium.
 
Samford (25-30) will now play an elimination game later Friday at 3 p.m. against the winner of the game between No. 5 seed Mercer and No. 7 seed ETSU. UNCG (36-20) will play the winner of the 3 p.m. game from Friday on Saturday at 1 p.m. If the Spartans win their next game, they will be the tournament champions for the second time in three seasons and get their third overall.
 
UNCG scored the first run of the game in the second inning. Grace Loftin singled through the left side to start the frame. After a sacrifice bunt from Shipley advanced Loftin to second, Maycin Brown doubled off the left-center field fence to score Loftin and put the Spartans ahead 1-0.
 
The score did not change until the sixth inning. Sarah Squillace was hit by a pitch and McKayla Cothran hit a bunt single to put runners on first and second for Samford. After a walk by Logan Champion loaded the bases, Merritt Cahoon hit an RBI groundout to third base to tie the score at 1-1.
 
Samford was able to get runners on base in each of the final three frames but was unable to score to take the lead. UNCG had one baserunner in the seventh inning and none in the eighth before winning the game in the ninth.
 
Delaney Cumbie hit a one-out single up the middle to put the winning run on base for UNCG in the final frame. Jorde Chartrand would reach on a dropped fly ball in the infield after that, putting the winning run in scoring position. Following a fly out, Shipley stepped into the batter’s box and delivered the hit that sent the Spartans to the championship round.
 
Maddie Spell (12-5) received the win inside the circle. Spell threw three innings of relief work, giving up just two hits and zero runs. Rhyann Jones started the game for the Spartans and pitched six innings, tossing six strikeouts and surrendering one earned run on four hits.
 
SoCon Pitcher of the Year McKenzie Newcomb (13-11) pitched 8 2/3 innings for Samford, giving up one earned run on six hits while striking out seven batters.
 
Cumbie and Shipley each had two hits in the game. Loftin and Brown had the other hits for the Spartans.
 
Cahoon went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Samford. Kinley Pate had a hit and a stolen base in the contest.

No. 5 seed Mercer 4, No. 7 seed ETSU 3
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Fifth-seeded Mercer grabbed its second-straight comeback victory against upset-minded seventh-seeded ETSU when the Bears defeated the Buccaneers, 7-5, to stay alive at the Southern Conference Softball Championship at Frost Stadium.
 
With the win, Mercer (20-36) advanced to face No. 2 seed Samford in an elimination game Friday at 3 p.m. ETSU ends the season at 17-37.
 
ETSU drew first blood in the contest during the second inning. Emily Musco and Makenzie Henderson each drew a walk to put runners on first and second base for ETSU. Kasidy Dunn doubled to left center on the next at-bat, scoring Musco to make the score 1-0. Cameron Young hit a two-run double after that to bring Dunn and Henderson across home plate, making the ETSU lead 3-0.
 
In the bottom of the second inning, Kylie Helm and Tori Hedgecock hit back-to-back singles to begin the frame. After a sacrifice bunt was laid down by Avery Barton, Grace Prom was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Two batters later, Parris Wiggs drew a walk, forcing in Hedgecock for the Bears’ first run of the game.
 
Mercer would score three runs in the fifth inning to take the lead. After a walk, single and a stolen base, the Bears had Madi Wicker on third and Wiggs on second. Mercer would tie the game at 3-3 on the next at-bat after a fielder’s choice and a throwing error allowed Wicker and Wiggs to score. Rebeca Laudino got a bunt single after that to place runners on the corners. The bases would eventually be full after a stolen base by Laudino and a single by Bailey Ledvina, setting the stage for a sacrifice fly in foul territory in right field off the bat of Helm, putting the Bears ahead 4-3.
 
After a 1-2-3 sixth inning, ETSU would mount a rally in the top of the seventh. Riley Nayadley hit a one-out single up the middle to put the tying run aboard. Musco was walked two batters later to place the go-ahead run on first base, however, the Bears shut the door on the rally after that.
 
Grace Taylor (13-18) threw five innings to pick up the win, while Katie Rearley got her second save of the season, throwing two innings out of the bullpen.
 
Brianna Bailey (14-13) pitched her fourth complete game of the tournament for ETSU, striking out two batters and giving up six hits.
 
Six different Bears got a hit in the game. Wiggs had a hit, a stolen base, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored.
 
Nayadley was 2-for-4 with a double to lead ETSU at the plate.
  
No. 2 seed Samford 2, No. 5 seed Mercer 1
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 2 seed Samford downed No. 5 seed Mercer by a score of 2-1 to reach Saturday’s title game of the SoCon Softball Championship at Frost Stadium.
 
The Bulldogs (26-30) will face No. 1 seed UNCG on Saturday at 1 p.m. with the tournament title on the line. Samford must defeat the Spartans, who beat the Bulldogs 2-1 in nine innings earlier Friday afternoon, twice Saturday to claim its second SoCon crown, while UNCG needs just one win for its third tournament title.
 
Mercer finished its season with a 20-37 record.
 
Samford scored the first run of the game in the second inning. Ansley Yantis hit a solo home run to left field that ricocheted off the glove of Mercer’s Parris Wiggs, making the score 1-0 in favor of the Bulldogs.
 
Mercer would tie the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning. With a runner on first and two outs, Kassidy Moore singled up the middle to put runners on first and second. Sophie Sumner hit a single through the right side on the next at-bat, scoring Tori Hedgecock to even the score.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Grier Bruce began the frame with a double to right center. Logan Champion laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third, setting the table for a sacrifice fly to deep center field by McKenzie Newcomb to score Abigail Dorsett, who pinch ran for Bruce, to score the game-winning run.
 
Newcomb (14-11), the SoCon Pitcher of the Year, got her second win of the tournament after pitching two innings out of the bullpen, striking out three batters and allowing zero runs on one hit. Jordyn Partain started the game for Samford and pitched five innings.
 
Katie Rearley (6-12) took the loss for Mercer. Rearley pitched 5 2/3 innings, striking out two batters and allowing two earned runs on six hits.
 
Merritt Cahoon went 2-for-3 at the plate for Samford, serving as the only Bulldog to have a multi-hit game. Bruce and Sara Bond each hit a double in the game.
 
Alyssa Woods was 2-for-4 with a triple and Sumner was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Bears.
 
2023 SoCon Softball Championship
Chattanooga, Tenn.
Wednesday, May 10
Game 1: No. 4 Western Carolina 3, No. 5 Mercer 2
Game 2: No. 2 Samford 4, No. 7 ETSU 2
Game 3: No. 6 Chattanooga 8, No. 3 Furman 3
 
Thursday, May 11
Game 4: No. 7 ETSU 6, No. 3 Furman 4
Game 5: No. 1 UNCG 1, No. 4 Western Carolina 0
Game 6: No. 2 Samford 6, No. 6 Chattanooga 5
Game 7: No. 7 ETSU 3, No. 4 Western Carolina 1
Game 8: No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 6 Chattanooga 8
 
Friday, May 12
Game 9: No. 1 UNCG 2, No. 2 Samford 1 (9 innings)
Game 10: No. 5 Mercer 4, No. 7 ETSU 3
Game 11: No. 2 Samford 2, No. 5 Mercer 1
 
Saturday, May 13
Game 12: No. 1 UNCG vs. No. 2 Samford, 1 p.m.
Game 13 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 3 p.m.