Wofford Softball

Wofford

Wofford College

Softball

SoCon

Back in action tonight 🤩

🆚 Longwood | 🕕 5:00 p.m. | 📍 Hope Field 

#Team3overMe #IIIStrandsStrong https://t.co/d4JaWq6JsJ

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Mercer Softball

Mercer

See you at Sikes!

🆚 Bryant
📍 Macon, Ga.
🏟️ Sikes Field
🕕 6 pm
🎟️ Free
📊 https://t.co/Ud15soAHzK

#DefendTheDen I #Team40 https://t.co/3n6eG0YUlc

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ETSU Softball

ETSU Buccaneers

East Tennessee State University

set for a Friday afternoon meeting with the Leopards in day one of the Radford Invitational 🙌

📊: https://t.co/YIU20x5M4G
📺: https://t.co/pDuFmCTgmk

#GoBucs | #DEEP⚓️ https://t.co/9I1IJnSVWx

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UNCG Softball

UNC Greensboro

North Carolina Greensboro

PREVIEW | Softball Hosts Lehigh &amp; Tarleton State this Weekend

📰 https://t.co/1lUIc7d1sG
#letsgoG https://t.co/B33o7hW5kd

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Team 41 took on the Beach Sports Performance/Team Bonding Challenge💪
Big thanks to our Sports Performance coaches Jordan &amp; Marlena for pushing us and bringing the team closer together. Hard things together. 
#letsgoG https://t.co/QxbvTtinKX

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Huge thank you to alumni, Kristy Norton &amp; Kama for welcoming us in, cooking dinner for the team, sharing wisdom, letting us hang with their pups, and enjoying an unreal view together. Team 41 had the best night.
This program is built on people who keep giving back💙🥎
#letsgoG https://t.co/cEeJ6iClKU

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina third basemen Maya McPherson and UNCG right-hander Brooklyn Shroyer have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from March 2-8. The awards are selected by the league office. McPherson led Western Carolina to three wins over the weekend as the team hosted the Catamount Classic. In a 4-2 win over Penn on March 6, the junior had two hits, a stolen base, an RBI and a tun scored. Later that day, McPherson was 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored as the Catamounts suffered an 18-10 setback versus Robert Morris. On March 7, the native of Lancaster, California, was 3-for-4 with two RBIs in a 9-1 victory against Ohio. In the finale of the weekend, McPherson had two hits, including a fifth inning grand slam, as the Catamounts topped Penn, 8-2. Shroyer tossed 13 innings over two games inside the circle, including a complete game shutout, for UNCG over the weekend. The junior, who also won the honor on Feb. 23, had five strikeouts and gave up just one earned run against UNC Wilmington on March 7. The next day, the product of San Dimas, California, had eight strikeouts and allowed just one hit in a 2-0 win over Army. Shroyer’s performance against Army was her fifth shutout of the season, which leads the SoCon. Western Carolina (13-7) will play a doubleheader versus Presbyterian on March 10, and at Queens on March 11. UNCG (15-12) hosts Lehigh and Tarleton State over the weekend. Other nominees for player of the week: Payton Moore (ETSU), Nya South (UNCG), and Chloe Lackey (Chattanooga) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Lily O'Bryan (Furman) and Amanda Fulton (Western Carolina)   2026 SoCon Softball Players of the Week Feb. 9               Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordFeb. 16             Olivia Shaw, Jr., SS, SamfordFeb. 23             Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordMarch 2            Riley Croley, Fr., 3B, ETSUMarch 9            Maya McPherson, Jr., 3B, Western Carolina 2026 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the WeekFeb. 9               Madison Starr, Jr., MercerFeb. 16             Abby Greenwood, Jr., WoffordFeb. 23             Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 2            Gabrielle Fowler, Jr., ETSUMarch 9            Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCG</div>

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The Southern Conference

Southern Conference

Western Carolina

SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – ETSU third basemen Riley Croley and Buccaneers right-hander Gabrielle Fowler have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from Feb. 23-March 1. The awards are selected by the league office. Croley led ETSU at the plate in the team’s two wins over Alabama A&M on Feb. 28. In game one, the native of Gray, Tennessee, had her hands in each of the team’s runs, going 2-for-3 in a 4-3 victory. After an RBI, stolen base and a run in the first inning, Croley hit the game-winning two-RBI single in the sixth inning to put the team up for good. In game two, the freshman had a hit, a stolen base and a pair of walks in a 2-0 win. Croley also turned in a perfect fielding percentage during the doubleheader. Fowler had a stellar performance inside the circle in ETSU’s 4-3 win over Alabama A&M. Entering the game in the fifth with the team down 3-2, the junior from York, Pennsylvania, was perfect over the final three frames. Fowler struck out four batters and allowed zero baserunners during her outing.  ETSU (9-1) travels to Rock Hill, South Carolina, this weekend for the Winthrop Invitational on March 6-8. The Buccaneers will take on Georgia State, Winthrop and Bucknell during the event. Other nominees for player of the week: Olivia Shaw (Samford), Ava Cowart (Chattanooga), Nya South (UNC Greensboro), and Sydney Dirks (Western Carolina) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Kristyn Embler (Furman). Brooklyn Schroyer (UNC Greensboro), and AG Batson (Western Carolina)   2026 SoCon Softball Players of the Week Feb. 9               Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordFeb. 16             Olivia Shaw, Jr., SS, SamfordFeb. 23             Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordMarch 2            Riley Croley, Fr., 3B, ETSU 2026 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the WeekFeb. 9               Madison Starr, Jr., MercerFeb. 16             Abby Greenwood, Jr., WoffordFeb. 23             Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 2            Gabrielle Fowler, Jr., ETSU</div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford infielder/designated player Brianna Stanley and UNCG right-hander Brooklyn Shroyer have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from Feb. 16-22. The awards are selected by the league office. Wofford’s Stanley, who also won the honor on Feb. 9, hit .571 over five games for Wofford during the Sparkle City Invite in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The sophomore began her week with a hit, one RBI and two walks in a 5-1 win at Presbyterian on Feb. 18. Two days later, Stanley was 2-for-3 with a home run, one double, three RBIs and a run scored in a 12-4 win against Morgan State. In the second game of the day, the product of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, hit a pair of homers in a 15-7 victory over Robert Morris, becoming the first Terrier to hit two home runs in a game. On Feb. 21, Stanley had a two-run home run and a walk in Wofford’s 4-3 win against Holy Cross. Later that day, Stanley concluded her weekend going 2-for-3 with three RBIs in a 6-0 win versus Harvard. UNCG’s Shroyer made three appearances, with two starts, inside the circle for UNCG over the weekend. The junior began her week with a complete-game no-hitter, striking out 10 batters as the Spartans defeated Canisius, 9-0, on Feb. 20. The next day, the product of San Dimas, California, tossed another complete game, finishing with six strikeouts and giving up just three hits in a 7-0 win against Kent State. Shroyer finished her weekend by earning a save, throwing two innings and striking out one batter as UNCG beat Kent State, 3-2, on Feb. 22. Wofford (13-1) plays USC Upstate on Feb. 24, before traveling to Clemson, South Carolina, for the Tiger Invitational on Feb. 27-March 1. The Terriers will face Mississippi State, Georgia Southern and Clemson during the tournament. UNCG (10-5) plays at Queens on Feb. 24, before playing against Charleston Southern, Indiana and Elon during the UNCG/Elon Tournament over the weekend. Other nominees for player of the week: Taylor Suchy (ETSU), Laney Deane (UNCG), Brandy Phillips (Samford), Mia Leone (Chattanooga), and Sydney Dirks (Western Carolina) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Eden Muncy (ETSU), Taylor Long (Chattanooga), Amanda Fulton (Western Carolina) and Natalya Salo (Wofford)   2026 SoCon Softball Players of the Week Feb. 9               Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordFeb. 16             Olivia Shaw, Jr., SS, SamfordFeb. 9               Brianna Stanley, So., INF, Wofford 2026 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the WeekFeb. 9               Madison Starr, Jr., MercerFeb. 16             Abby Greenwood, Jr., WoffordFeb. 23             Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCG  </div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford shortstop Olivia Shaw and Wofford right-hander Abby Greenwood have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from Feb. 9-15. The awards are selected by the league office. Last week, Samford’s Shaw led the league in six categories including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. On Feb. 10, Shaw had a double, a run scored and two RBIs in a 14-5 win over Alabama State. Three days later, the junior had two home runs and two walks in a 8-0 win over Lindenwood. In the second game that day against Belmont, Shaw finished with two hits, one being a double, and a walk versus Belmont. On Valentine’s Day, the native of Hoschton, Georgia, logged a double and a walk during a 9-6 win against Lindenwood. In the final game of the weekend, Shaw went 2-3 with a double and an RBI in a 10-2 setback against North Alabama. Wofford’s Greenwood made two appearances, with one start, pitching 11 innings during the outings. On Feb. 13, the product of King George, Virginia, threw a complete game, striking out seven batters and allowing zero earned runs in a 5-1 win over UNC Wilmington. The next day, the junior threw four innings in relief, allowing just two hits with one strikeout in a 3-1 victory against UMBC. Greenwood currently leads the SoCon in ERA (1.33). Samford (4-6) plays at Georgia on Feb. 18, before going to Starkville, Mississippi, to play in the Bulldog Invitational over the weekend against Mississippi State, Delaware State and Belmont. Wofford (8-1) travels to Presbyterian on Feb. 18. The Terriers return home to host the Sparkle City Invite on Feb. 20-21, where they will face Morgan State, Robert Morris, Holy Cross and Harvard. Other nominees for player of the week: Whitney Boone (ETSU), Kate Stoltzfus (Furman), Rachel Sysum (Mercer), Kaylyn Belfield (UNCG), Mia Leone (Chattanooga), Maya McPherson (Western Carolina) and Lauren Archambault (Wofford)   Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Taylor Suchy (ETSU),Grace McKillop (Mercer), Brooklyn Shroyer (UNCG), Taylor Long (Chattanooga) and Amanda Fulton (Western Carolina)   2026 SoCon Softball Players of the Week Feb. 9               Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordFeb. 16             Olivia Shaw, Jr., SS, Samford 2026 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the WeekFeb. 9               Madison Starr, Jr., MercerFeb. 16             Abby Greenwood, Jr., Wofford</div>

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Samford Bulldogs

Samford University

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford infielder Brianna Stanley and Mercer right-hander Madison Starr have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts over the first weekend of the season. The awards are selected by the league office. Wofford’s Stanley hit .706 and had a perfect fielding percentage, en route to helping the Terriers grab four wins during the Terrier Invite in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The sophomore opened the season going 2-for-2 with a solo home run, a walk and three runs scored in a 11-1 win over Kent State on Feb. 6. Later that day, Stanley had a hit and a walk as Wofford defeated Monmouth, 9-4. On Feb. 7, in a 12-7 setback against IU Indy, the native of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, had three hits, one being a double, two RBIs and a run scored. In the second game of the day, Stanley was 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, three RBIs and one run in a 10-7 win over Monmouth. Stanley finished the weekend going 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored as Wofford topped Kent State, 10-4, on Feb. 8.  Mercer’s Starr pitched five innings in an 11-2 win over North Carolina A&T on Feb. 8, at the Heart of Georgia Classic in Macon, Georgia. The junior had four strikeouts in the contests, allowing just two hits and zero earned runs. The product of from Vidalia, Georgia, held batters to a .111 batting average during her outing. Wofford (4-1) hosts the Wofford Invitational on Feb. 13-15, welcoming UNC Wilmington, UMBC and St. Bonaventure for five games over the weekend. Mercer (5-0) will face Western Kentucky, Iowa and Army over the weekend as the Bears host the MUSB Invitational. Other nominees for player of the week: Avery Barton (Mercer), Kaylyn Belfield (UNCG), Katie Campbell (Samford), and Abi Bunt (Chattanooga)   Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Emery Bales (Chattanooga)   2026 SoCon Softball Players of the Week Feb. 9                                     Brianna Stanley, So., INF, Wofford 2026 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week Feb. 9                                     Madison Starr, Jr., Mercer</div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG has been tabbed the favorite to claim the 2026 Southern Conference softball crown, as voted on by all eight of the league’s coaches. Samford infielder Olivia Shaw was voted preseason player of the year, while Wofford senior Margaret Axelson was named the preseason pitcher of the year. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players in the balloting.  UNCG collected four first-place votes and 43 points to take the top spot in the poll after finishing second in the regular season and advancing to the conference tournament semifinals in 2025. The Spartans, who went 39-18 overall and 14-6 in SoCon play, claimed six spots on the preseason all-conference teams. Infielder Macy Michael and outfielder Kaylyn Belfield represented UNCG on the first team. Michael, the 2025 SoCon Freshman of the Year, hit .344 during her first collegiate season, while Belfield, who was a first-team all-conference selection last season, finished the 2025 season second in the league in batting average (.431). Pitcher Salem Ward, catcher Betsy Eatmon, infielder Hadley Gardner and outfielder Samantha Beck were second-team selections. Samford received two first-place votes, while Chattanooga grabbed one as both squads had a total of 37 points to finish tied for second in the poll. The Bulldogs were 12-7 in conference contests and 33-23 overall in 2025. Shaw, who was a first-team all-conference selection at infielder and designated player a season ago, led the league in doubles (22) and was fourth in batting average (.381) last year. Katie Campbell was voted to the preseason all-conference first team at catcher and infielder. Outfielder Joi Hubbard was also named to the preseason all-conference first team for the Bulldogs.  Campbell finished the 2025 season second in the SoCon in RBIs (60), while Hubbard led the league in stolen bases (29). The Chattanooga Mocs claimed the 2025 regular season crown, finishing 41-15 overall and 15-5 in conference games. Pitcher Taylor Long claimed a spot on the preseason all-conference team. In 2025, Long was second in the SoCon in strikeouts with 160, while tossing nine complete games. Wofford was fourth in the preseason poll with 32 points. The Terriers had four preseason all-conference selections, led by Axelson’s selection to the first team. Axelson, who has been a first-team all-conference selection in each of the last two seasons, threw 18 complete games with a 1.99 ERA in 2025. Wofford placed pitcher Abby Greenwood, infielder Brianna Stanley and outfielder Rivers Sampson on the preseason second team. Mercer received 26 points in the preseason poll to finish fifth. The Bears, who won the 2025 SoCon Tournament, were 40-26 overall and 11-9 in league games a season ago. Mercer had one selection on the preseason all-conference team as infielder Grace Jones made the squad. Infielder Lily Bell and outfielder Sydney Dirks earned first-team all-conference selections for Western Carolina, which amassed 24 points and the final first-place vote. In 2025, Bell batted .455, establishing a new SoCon record for a season. Dirks also made the second team as a designated player, while teammates Maya McPherson and Rylee Butler made the second team as an infielder and outfielder, respectively. ETSU checks in at seventh with 17 points. Furman rounded out the poll with eight points. The Paladins’ Sylvia Burroughs completed the first-team selections. Burroughs was in the top five in doubles (14) in the league a season ago. The 2026 softball season begins on Feb. 5, with Samford visiting Florida State. Five teams will open their season the next day. On Feb. 11, Western Carolina opens its season against North Carolina A&T, while ETSU is the last to begins its 2026 campaign on Feb. 13 versus Albany. Preseason Poll Team (First-Place Votes) Points<div class="lexical-table-container">
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 </div>Preseason Player of the Year Olivia Shaw, Samford, Jr., IF   Preseason Pitcher of the Year Margaret Axelson, Wofford, Sr.   Preseason First-Team All-SoCon P          Taylor Long, ChattanoogaP          Margaret Axelson, Wofford C          Katie Campbell, Samford IF         Macy Michael, UNCGIF         Olivia Shaw, Samford IF         Katie Campbell, Samford IF         Lily Bell, Western Carolina OF       Kaylyn Belfield, UNCG OF       Joi Hubbard, SamfordOF       Sydney Dirks, Western Carolina DP       Sylvia Burroughs, Furman   Preseason Second-Team All-SoCon P          Salem Ward, UNCGP          Abby Greenwood, Wofford C          Betsy Eatmon, UNCG IF         Grace Jones, Mercer IF         Hadley Gardner, UNCG IF         Maya McPherson, Western CarolinaIF         Brianna Stanley, Wofford OF       Samantha Beck, UNCG OF       Rylee Butler, Western CarolinaOF       Rivers Sampson, Wofford DP       Sydney Dirks, Western Carolina</div>

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Chattanooga Mocs

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Furman Paladins

Furman University

UNCG named favorite to win SoCon softball title

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2026 Softball Championship

2026 Softball Tournament

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Dennison Named Furman Softball Head Coach

Box Score

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Gainesville, FL

2025-05-18 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Florida Gators vs. Mercer Bears | #6384262 | COMPLETE

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Bears Fall To No. 3 Florida In NCAA Gainesville Regional Finals 5/18/25

2025-05-17 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Fla. Atlantic Owls vs. Mercer Bears | #6384261 | COMPLETE

2025-05-17 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Mercer Bears vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | #6384260 | COMPLETE

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RELENTLESS! Big Innings Move Bears Into Championship Sunday 5/17/25

2025-05-16 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Mercer Bears vs. Florida Gators | #6384258 | COMPLETE

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Mercer Bears Fall To No. 3 Florida In NCAA Postseason Debut 5/16/25

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Mercer Bears To Make Postseason Debut At Gainesville Regional 5/11/25

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 1 Chattanooga 8, No. 3 Samford 3 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In the first game of the day at the 2025 SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg at Hope Field on Friday, No. 1 seed Chattanooga picked up an 8-3 win over No. 3 seed Samford.Samford (33-22) will now play an elimination game later today at 4 p.m. against the winner of the game between No. 2 seed UNCG and No. 5 seed Mercer. Chattanooga (41-13) will play the winner of the 4 p.m. game from Friday on Saturday at 1 p.m. If the Mocs win their next game, they will be the tournament champions for the second straight season.Both teams scored in the first inning. Samford scored one off a RBI single from Katie Campbell in the top of the frame. Chattanooga’s runs came off a two-run shot by SoCon Player of the Year Olivia Lipari, giving the Mocs a 2-1 lead.Samford moved back in front during the second inning. McKayla Cothran hit a RBI single, scoring Joi Hubbard to the play and tying the game at 2-2. Three batters later, Cothran came across home plate following an error by Chattanooga.The top seed had a big inning in the third frame, plating six runs. Camryn Cernuto scored following a bases loaded walk, knotting the game at 3-3. Two batters later, Izzy Carlyle scored on a RBI groundout, moving the Mocs ahead for good.Chattanooga scored its remaining runs in the inning on an error, which brought Jayce Purdy and Baileigh Pitts in to score, and a single, which brought Zoe Wright and Lexi Cooley across home plate. The Mocs went ahead 8-3 and held off the Bulldogs for the remainder of the contest.SoCon Pitcher of the Year Peja Goold (25-6) got the win for Chattanooga out of the bullpen, throwing five innings and striking out three batters while surrendering zero runs.Cothran led the Samford offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a RBI and two runs scored.No. 5 Mercer 7, No 2 UNCG 3 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 5 seed Mercer continued its run at the SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg at Hope Field with a 7-3 victory over No. 2 seed UNCG.With the win, Mercer (34-24) advanced to face No. 3 seed Samford in an elimination game Friday at 4 p.m. UNCG ends the season at 39-18.Mercer had a quick start, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. Following a leadoff single by Hallie Langford, Tori Hedgecock hit a triple off of the right field wall to score Langford. Hedgecock scored on the next at-bat, making the score 2-0.UNCG cut the lead in half during the bottom of the second inning. SoCon Freshman of the Year Macy Michael led off the frame with a double before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Michael would score off a sacrifice fly from Laney Deane.In the fourth inning, the Bears pushed their lead to 4-1. With Sydney Harris on first base, Kiki Daniels hit her third home run of the tournament. Mercer held that lead until the bottom of the fifth inning.Kaylyn Belfield hit a two-out single to give UNCG its first baserunner of the fifth. Jessie Shipley drove her in with a double to left center field. Following a walk, Jorde Chartrand singled to right field, scoring Shipley and closing the Mercer lead to 4-3.In the next half inning after a pop out began the frame, the Bears loaded the bases on an infield single and two bunts. Paris Wiggs singled up the middle on the next at-bat to score Laura Vigna and Daniella Monaco, prompting a pitching change by the Spartans. After an error, Grace Jones drew a bases loaded walk, making the score 7-3 in favor of the fifth seed.With one out in the seventh inning, UNCG got an infield single from Belfield. She would advance to second base on a fly out to right field, but a groundout on the next pitch ended the contest.Katheryn Rearley (7-2) got the win inside the circle for the Bears, pitching five innings and striking out two batters. Wiggs, Jones and Daniels all finished with two RBIs.Belfield went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead UNCG.No. 5 Mercer 13, No 3. Samford 5 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 5 seed Mercer eliminated No. 3 seed Samford SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg at Hope Field on Friday, by a score of 13-5.The Bears (36-24) will face No. 1 seed Chattanooga on Saturday at 1 p.m. with the tournament title on the line. Mercer must defeat the Mocs, who beat the Bears, 8-7, in nine innings on Thursday, twice on Saturday to claim its first SoCon crown, while Chattanooga needs just one win for its 17th title.Samford finished its season with a 33-23 record.In the top of the first inning, Mercer scored five runs on just one hit. Four of the first six batters of the game reached on a walk, giving the Bears a 1-0 advantage. KiKi Daniels cleared the bases on the next at-bat with a grand slam.A solo home run from first-team all-conference selection Tori Hedgecock in the top of the third put the Bears ahead 6-0. Samford got two runs back in the bottom of the third inning. Katie Campbell hit a two-run single, scoring Sarah Squillace and McKayla Cothran on the play.Both teams scored once again in the fourth frame. Mercer’s run came off an RBI single by Paris Wiggs. Samford got runs from Linsey Hargis, Ella Nelson and Addison Smith, making the score 7-5 in favor of the Bears heading into the fifth inning.Daniels continued her big game in the fifth inning, driving in Hannah Rivers on a RBI single to raise the Bears advantage to 8-5. Mercer’s bats continued to produce in the next frame as Isabel Fernandez scored on an error before a two-out two-run single off the bat of Emma Dorval made the score 11-5.The final two runs of the game came in the seventh inning. Rivers doubled to left field, bringing Wiggs and Hallie Langford across home plate.Mercer’s Grace Taylor (11-5) picked up her second win of the tournament, throwing four innings out of the bullpen. Nine different Bears recorded a hit in the contest, led by Daniels’ 3-for-4 outing.Hargis, Nelson and Grier Bruce, a second-team all-conference selection, all had two hits for the Bulldogs.  2025 SoCon Softball Championship Spartanburg, S.C. Wednesday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 8 Furman 7 Game 2: No. 7 ETSU 12, No. 6 Western Carolina 9 Game 3: No. 5 Mercer 5, No. 4 Wofford 2 Game 4: No. 3 Samford 7, No. 7 ETSU 6  Thursday, May 8 Game 5: No. 1 Chattanooga 8, No. 5 Mercer 7 (9 innings) Game 6: No. 3 Samford 5, No. 2 UNCG 4 Game 7: No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 7 ETSU 3 Game 8: No. 2 UNCG 3, No. 4 Wofford 1   Friday, May 9 Game 9: No. 1 Chattanooga 8, No. 3 Samford 3 Game 10: No. 5 Mercer 7, No. 2 UNCG 3 Game 11: No. 5 Mercer 13, No. 3 Samford 5 Saturday, May 10 Game 12: No. 1 Chattanooga vs. No. 5 Mercer, 1 p.m. Game 13 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 4 p.m.</div>

Spartanburg, SC

2025-05-09 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Samford Bulldogs vs. Chattanooga Mocs | #6381120 | COMPLETE

2025-05-09 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Mercer Bears vs. UNC Greensboro Spartans | #6381119 | COMPLETE

2025-05-09 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Mercer Bears vs. Samford Bulldogs | #6381118 | COMPLETE

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Friday's SoCon Softball Championship roundup 5/9/25

2025 Softball Championship

2025 Softball Tournament

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 7 ETSU 3 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 5 seed Mercer cruised to a 11-3 victory over No. 7 seed ETSU during the third game of the day at the 2025 SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg at Hope Field on Thursday.Mercer (34-24) advances to Friday’s 1 p.m. game against either No. 2 seed UNCG or No. 4 seed UNCG. ETSU ends its season at 18-37.The Bears got their bats going early, scoring four runs in the opening inning. The first run was off a RBI single from Grace Jones. Hannah Rivers followed that with a RBI single of her own. KiKi Daniels hit a two-RBI triple two batters later, bringing Jones and Rivers across home plate.ETSU scored the next run of the contest in the top of the third inning. Cameron Young hit a RBI single, bringing Leinani Lutu in to score.In the bottom of the third, Rivers lead off the frame with a solo home run. Following a single by Sydney Harris, Daniels hit a two-run blast to center field, moving the Bears ahead 7-1.The next two batters drew walks, setting the stage for a three-run homer from first-team all-conference selection Hallie Langford. One inning later, Daniels hit her second home run of the day, this one coming as a solo shot to make the score 11-1 in favor of Mercer.The Buccaneers scored their final two runs of the game in the fifth frame. Sara Muir and Taylor Suchy hit RBI singles, scoring Nayana DeAmelia and Riley Nayadley, respectively. Mercer would eventually get out of the inning up 11-3, ending the game in the fifth.Gabby Ellis (10-5) went the distance inside the circle for the Bears, finishing with two strikeouts. Langford, Jones and Daniels all had multiple hits, and two runs scored.Young and Lutu both had two hits for ETSU.No. 2 UNCG 3, No. 4 Wofford 1 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 2 seed UNCG took down No. 4 seed Wofford, 3-1, in the final game of day two at the 2025 SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg at Hope Field on Thursday.UNCG (39-17) will now play in Friday’s 1 p.m. game versus No. 5 Mercer, which will be an elimination game. Wofford ends its season at 30-22.After three scoreless innings to begin the game, UNCG broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning. First-team all-conference performers Grace Loftin and Jorde Chartrand reached base via error and a single, respectively. SoCon Freshman of the Year Macy Michael delivered a two-run double on the next at-bat, putting the Spartans up 2-0.UNCG would get its final run in the seventh inning. The Spartans used small ball to place runners on second and third with two outs. Hadley Gardner then singled up the middle, scoring Michael before the second runner was thrown out at home plate, ending the inning with UNCG up 3-0.In the seventh inning, Wofford loaded the bases with zero outs on two singles and a hit by pitch. After the Spartans picked up an out at home on a fielder’s choice, Hope Ingle hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Kaytlin Greenwood from third base. With the tying run at the plate, Wofford was unable to score another run after a fly out to right field ended the contest.UNCG’s Salem Ward (15-6) picked up the win after throwing 4.2 innings. Chartrand got her fourth save of the season, tossing the final 2.1 innings for the Spartans. Michael went 1-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and two RBIs to lead UNCG at the plate.Wofford’s Abby Greenwood pitched a complete game for the Terriers, striking out five batters and surrendering just two earned runs.   2025 SoCon Softball Championship Spartanburg, S.C. Wednesday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 8 Furman 7 Game 2: No. 7 ETSU 12, No. 6 Western Carolina 9 Game 3: No. 5 Mercer 5, No. 4 Wofford 2 Game 4: No. 3 Samford 7, No. 7 ETSU 6  Thursday, May 8 Game 5: No. 1 Chattanooga 8, No. 5 Mercer 7 (9 innings) Game 6: No. 3 Samford 5, No. 2 UNCG 4 Game 7: No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 7 ETSU 3 Game 8: No. 2 UNCG 3, No. 4 Wofford 1   Friday, May 9 Game 9: No. 1 Chattanooga vs. No. 3 Samford, 10 a.m. Game 10: No. 5 Mercer vs. No. 2 UNCG, 1 p.m. Game 11: Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser, 4 p.m. Saturday, May 10 Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 1 p.m. Game 13 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 4 p.m.</div>

2025-05-08 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Wofford Terriers vs. UNC Greensboro Spartans | #6381121 | COMPLETE

ESPN+

2025-05-08 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | ETSU Buccaneers (Bucs) vs. Mercer Bears | #6381122 | COMPLETE

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Mercer wins its third game of the SoCon Tournament over ETSU; UNCG tops Wofford to end the day

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 1 Chattanooga 8, No. 5 Mercer 7 (9 innings) SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 1 seed Chattanooga outlasted No. 4 seed Mercer, 8-7, in extra innings in the first game of day two at the 2025 SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg at Hope Field on Thursday.The Mocs (40-13) advanced to play at 10 a.m. on Friday against the winner of the UNCG and Samford game. Mercer (33-24) will face No. 7 seed ETSU in an elimination game at 4 p.m. later today.The top-seeded Mocs struck first, scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Acelynn Sellers hit a two-out two-run home run, bringing Kailey Snell across home plate as well on the blast.In the third inning, Chattanooga scored the same way it had in the first. Sellers sent her second two-run homer of the day over the left field fence, once again scoring Snell in the process. One inning later, all-freshman team selection Lexi Cooley scored off a single by Snell, making the Mocs lead 5-0 after four innings.Sellers completed the hat trick in the fifth inning, hitting her third two-run shot of the game. This time SoCon Player of the Year Olivia Lipari scored alongside Sellers as Chattanooga led 7-0.Mercer’s bats woke up in the sixth inning. Grace Jones, an all-freshman team selection, hit a bases loaded single, scoring Isabel Fernandez to give the Bears their first run of the game and force a pitching change.Daniella Monaco, who came in as a pinch hitter, and Sydney Harris each had RBI singles on the next two at-bats, before an RBI groundout by Kiki Daniels made the score 7-4. Chattanooga got a strikeout after that, ending the frame and the Bears rally.In the seventh inning, Mercer placed its first two batters on base via walk. After a strikeout, both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. The Bears would load the bases after a walk, setting the stage for a RBI single by Jones to make the score 7-5.Hannah Rivers stepped into batter’s box after that and drew a walk, scoring --- on the play and bringing Mercer within one run. The Bears would tie the game at 7-7 following a throwing error, before a foul out and fly out to center field sent the game to the bottom of the frame.Sellers was walked and pinch ran for to begin the bottom half of the inning. The Mocs laid down a sacrifice bunt on the next at-bat, but Mercer was able to get the lead runner at second to get the first out. A pop out to left field and a line out to shortstop on the next two at-bats sent the contest into extra innings.The Bears got a leadoff walk but were unable to advance the runner after a sacrifice bunt and being caught stealing. The final out of the frame came on a line out to shortstop. Chattanooga got a double from Snell to place the winning run in scoring position, but she would be stranded there on a groundout, moving the game into the ninth inning.A 1-2-3 inning by Mercer began the frame, bringing the Mocs back to the plate. A walk from Lipari was followed by a bunt single by Sellers, placing runners on first and second. Baileigh Pitts singled to right field on the next at-bat, loading the bases for the Mocs.Chattanooga Jayce Purdy would end the game four pitches later with a single down the right field line, which just narrowly missed the glove of the Bears’ first baseman.SoCon Pitcher of the Year Peja Goold (24-6) tossed 8.1 innings for the Mocs, striking out seven batters and surrendering four hits. Snell and Sellers combined for eight hits and five runs scored, while Cooley was 3-for-4 at the plate for the Mocs.Sellers’ three home runs tied a SoCon Tournament record for homers in a game. The record was set back in 2022 by Chattanooga’s Reagan Armour.  For Mercer, Jones and Harris each had a pair of hits.No. 3 Samford 5, No. 2 UNCG 4 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The No. 3 seed Samford Bulldogs defeated the No. 2 seed UNCG Spartans, 13-5, on Thursday during the 2025 SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg at Hope Field.Samford (33-21) will now face No. 1 seed Chattanooga at 10 a.m. on Friday, with the winner of that game advancing to the championship round. UNCG (38-17) will face No. 4 seed Wofford in an elimination game later today at 7 p.m.UNCG got on the board first in the second inning. Back-to-back solo home runs from Laney Deane and Hadley Gardner, an all-freshman team pick, put the Spartans ahead 2-0. The next three batters all reached before Grace Loftin drew a bases loaded walk, giving UNCG a 3-0 lead after two innings.Samford would get one run back in the third frame. McKayla Cothran hit the tournament’s first triple down the right field line, scoring Joi Hubbard to make the score 3-1 in favor of UNCG.The Bulldogs gained the lead in the fifth inning. First-team all-conference performer Olivia Shaw hit a three-run blast, moving Samford in front by a score of 4-3. Hubbard hit an one-out RBI double in the next inning, scoring Linsey Hargis to increase the Bulldogs’ lead to two runs.In the bottom half of the sixth inning, Grace Loftin hit the Spartans’ third solo home run of the game to center field, closing the gap to one run. UNCG would get the go-ahead runner to second base but were unable to tie the game or take the lead, ending the frame with a groundout to the shortstop and a pop out to the pitcher. After holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the top of the seventh, UNCG was not able to move a runner to scoring position in the bottom half, leading to Samford getting the one-run victory.Jordyn Partain (15-13) picked up the win for Samford out of the bullpen, throwing 3.2 innings and striking out two batters. Shaw and Hubbard both had two hits and a run scored.Seven different Spartans recorded a hit, with Deane leading the way going 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and a RBI.2025 SoCon Softball Championship Spartanburg, S.C. Wednesday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 8 Furman 7 Game 2: No. 7 ETSU 12, No. 6 Western Carolina 9 Game 3: No. 5 Mercer 5, No. 4 Wofford 2 Game 4: No. 3 Samford 7, No. 7 ETSU 6  Thursday, May 8 Game 5: No. 1 Chattanooga 8, No. 5 Mercer 7 (9 innings) Game 6: No. 3 Samford 5, No. 2 UNCG 4 Game 7: No. 7 ETSU vs. No. 5 Mercer, 4 p.m. Game 8: No. 4 Wofford vs. No. 2 UNCG, 7 p.m.   Friday, May 9 Game 9: No. 1 Chattanooga vs. No. 3 Samford, 10 a.m. Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 1 p.m. Game 11: Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser, 4 p.m. Saturday, May 10 Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 1 p.m. Game 13 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 4 p.m.</div>

2025-05-08 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Mercer Bears vs. Chattanooga Mocs | #6381126 | COMPLETE

2025-05-08 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Samford Bulldogs vs. UNC Greensboro Spartans | #6381124 | COMPLETE

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No. 1 Chattanooga, No. 3 Samford get dramatic wins at SoCon Softball Championship 5/8/25

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 5 Mercer 5, No. 4 Wofford 2 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 5 seed Mercer won over No. 4 seed Wofford, 5-2, in the third game of 2025 Southern Conference Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg on Wednesday at Hope Field.The Bears (32-23) advance to play No. 1 seed Chattanooga (39-13) on Thursday at 10 a.m. The Terriers (30-21) fall to an elimination contest on Thursday at 7 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.Mercer struck first in the opening inning when Grace Jones hit a RBI double with two outs, scoring Parris Wiggs on the play. Jones scored two plays later on an error, giving the Bears a 2-0 lead.In the third inning, Wofford cut the lead in half. First-team all-conference performer Hope Ingle hit a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing Kaytlin Greenwood across home plate. The score stood at 2-1 in favor of the Bears.The next two innings saw Mercer push its lead back up to three. KiKi Daniels doubled to right center field, scoring Sydney Harris in the fourth inning. Tori Hedgecock hit a two-out solo home run in the fifth, bringing the Bears advantage to 4-1.Wofford closed the gap in the sixth inning. The Terriers scored their second run of the game via a sacrifice fly in the frame, this coming off the bat of Kalli Petty to bring Bergan Needles across home plate.In the seventh inning, Hedgecock drove in another run with a single through the left side, scoring Bergan Needles to give the Bears a 5-2 lead. Wofford logged a 1-2-3 bottom of the frame, giving Mercer its second victory of the day.Gabby Ellis (9-5) threw a complete game for Mercer, striking out three batters and allowing six hits. Hedgecock went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Bears.Six different Terriers had a hit in the contest.No. 3 Samford 7, No. 7 ETSU 6 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The No. 3 seed Samford Bulldogs topped the No. 7 seed ETSU Buccaneers, 7-6, in the final game of day one at the 2025 Southern Conference Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg on Wednesday at Hope Field.The Bulldogs (32-21) advance to play No. 2 seed UNCG (38-16) on Thursday at 1 p.m. The Bucs (18-36) fall to an elimination game on Thursday at 4 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.Both teams had their bats working early as each scored four runs in the opening inning. ETSU finished the frame with six hits, while Samford logged its runs on four hits.The Bulldogs took the lead in the bottom of the second on a RBI single by Katie Campbell, which scored Sarah Squillace. The Bucs went in front during the next half inning on a two-RBI single by Halle Laramie, making the score 6-5 in favor of ETSU.The back-and-forth affair continued in the bottom of the fourth when Samford regained the lead. Campbell drove in Squillace for the second time in the game, and that was followed by a RBI infield single from Grier Bruce, a second-time all-conference team member, moving the Bulldogs in front 7-6.Neither team scored for the rest of the contest. ETSU did advance a runner to third base in both the fifth and sixth innings but were unable to capitalize.Olivia Treece picked up her eighth win of the season for the Bulldogs, striking out three batters and allowing zero runs in 4.2 innings inside the circle.Campbell and Squillace both had three hits in the game to lead the Bulldogs at the plate. Brylee Mesusan was 3-for-4 with a run scored for ETSU.   2025 SoCon Softball Championship Spartanburg, S.C. Wednesday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 8 Furman 7 Game 2: No. 7 ETSU 12, No. 6 Western Carolina 9 Game 3: No. 5 Mercer 5, No. 4 Wofford 2 Game 4: No. 3 Samford 7, No. 7 ETSU 6  Thursday, May 8 Game 5: No. 1 Chattanooga vs. No. 5 Mercer, 10 a.m. Game 6: No. 2 UNCG vs. No. 3 Samford, 1 p.m. Game 7: No. 7 ETSU vs. Game 5 loser, 4 p.m. Game 8: No. 4 Wofford vs. Game 6 loser, 7 p.m.   Friday, May 9 Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 10 a.m. Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 1 p.m. Game 11: Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser, 4 p.m.   Saturday, May 10 Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 1 p.m. Game 13 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 4 p.m.</div>

2025-05-07 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Mercer Bears vs. Wofford Terriers | #6381128 | COMPLETE

2025-05-07 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | ETSU Buccaneers (Bucs) vs. Samford Bulldogs | #6381127 | COMPLETE

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Mercer and Samford advance in the winners' bracket

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 5 Mercer 11, No. 8 Furman 7 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 5 seed Mercer topped No. 8 seed Furman, 11-7, in an instant classic in the opening game of the Southern Conference Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg at Hope Field on Wednesday.The Bears (32-23) advance to play No. 4 seed Wofford (30-20) later today at 4 p.m. The Paladins (15-38) were eliminated from the tournament. After the first two innings were scoreless, Furman got on the board in the third frame. Ansley Chiang reached on an one-out error and advanced to second on a groundout. That set the stage for a two-out two-run blast by second-team all-conference performer Sylvia Burroughs, making the score 2-0 in favor of the Paladins.  Furman would add another run to its lead in the top of the fourth when Katie Peeler scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Sydney McGuirk. The Paladins led 3-0 entering the bottom of the frame, but the Mercer bats woke up. Singles by Paris Wiggs and Grace Jones placed runners on first and second. Hannah Rivers evened the score on the next at-bat, crushing a three-run homer to right field to even the score at 3-3.The Bears moved in front during the fifth inning. After two quick outs, Mercer loaded the bases following a pair of singles and a walk, forcing a pitching change by Furman. Jones stepped into the batter’s box after that and singled up the middle, bringing Wiggs and Hallie Langford across home plate. Tori Hedgecock would also score on the play on an error, making the score 6-3. Rivers doubled to left field after that, scoring Jones to make the score 7-3 in favor of the fifth seed.Furman rallied in the seventh inning. The Paladins began the frame with a double from Grayson Snead and a single by Chiang, putting runners on the corners. With the top of the lineup back up, Caitlin Goldwait doubled down the left field line, scoring both runners to make score 7-5 in favor of Mercer.After a strikeout, Kiley Perry doubled to the right center gap, scoring Jordynn Lawrence, who pinch ran for Goldwait, to bring the Paladins within one run. Rachel Hawkins singled to right field on the next at-bat, placing runners at first and third. Two batters later, Perry scored on a passed ball, tying the game at 7-7, before a groundout sent the game into the bottom of the seventh inning.Wiggs singled to get the Bears started at the plate. After a pair of fielder’s choices and error loaded the bases, Rivers stepped into the batter’s box. She proceeded to send a walk-off grand slam over the left field wall, ending the game and advancing Mercer.Grace Taylor (3-2) picked up the win, tossing three innings and striking out three batters out of the bullpen for the Bears.Rivers finished the game 3-for-3 with two home runs, a double, two runs scored and a SoCon Tournament record eight RBIs. Jones had three hits, three runs and two RBIs for Mercer. Both Rivers and Jones were members of the SoCon all-freshman team.Goldwait and Perry both went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Paladins. Goldwait had two RBIs, while Perry had one RBI and one run scored. No. 7 ETSU 12, No. 6 Western Carolina 9 SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The No. 7 seed ETSU rallied back to defeat the No. 6 seed Western Carolina, 12-9, in the second game of the 2025 Southern Conference Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg on Wednesday at Hope Field. The Buccaneers overcame a six-run lead in the contest, marking the largest comeback in a game in a conference tournament contest.ETSU (18-35) advances to play No. 3 seed Samford later today at 7 p.m. The Catamounts (22-31) were eliminated for the tournament.   The Catamounts got on the board in the opening inning of the contest. First-team all-conference selection Lily Bell walked to start the frame and stole to move into scoring position. Bell advance to third on a groundout before scoring on a single by Sydney Dirks, putting Western Carolina up 1-0.In the second inning, Western Carolina posted five runs. Tate Stewman hit an RBI single, scoring Rylee Butler to make the score 2-0. Stewman scored on a single by Bell two batters later. Following a walk that loaded the bases, Maya McPherson hit a bases-clearing double, putting the Catamounts up 6-0.ETSU would get on the board in the fifth inning, taking the league in the process. A Halle Laramie two-run double gave the Bucs their first runs of the contest. Two batters later, Cameron Young doubled to bring Laramie across home plate, making the score 6-3 in favor of Western Carolina.A single by Riley Nayadley loaded the bases for ETSU, before Sara Muir drew a walk and Makayla Veglia was hit by a pitch, closing the Catamount advantage to 6-5. The Bucs brought in Taylor Suchy to pinch hit on the next at-bat and she delivered, singling to center field to score Nayadley and tie the game at 6-6. ETSU would tie the game before recording an out in the frame.The Buccaneers scored two more runs in the top of the fifth via an RBI single from Tiare Reiger and a sacrifice fly by Laramie. ETSU would carry an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the inning.Western Carolina responded in the frame, scoring a pair of runs to tie the game at 8-8. Taylor Waitley and Imara Harrell both scored runs in the frame off of RBI singles from Bell and Courtney Marks, respectively.ETSU regained the lead in the sixth. Veglia hit an RBI single to Young, giving the team their first run of the frame. Two batters later, Leinani Lutu brought two across home plate on a single, bringing the Bucs lead to 11-8.An insurance run was scored by Abigail Taylor in the top of the seventh inning, moving the Bucs lead to 12-8. The Catamounts would get a solo homer from McPherson in the bottom of the frame, but that was all as ETSU forced a groundout on the next at-bat, completing its comeback. Marissa Barnes (4-9) got the win inside the circle, throwing 2.2 innings in relief for ETSU. Taylor, Young and Nayadley all had three hits, and two runs scored for the Bucs.Bell went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, finishing her sophomore campaign with a .455 batting average, which is a conference record for a season.</div>

2025-05-07 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | Furman Paladins vs. Mercer Bears | #6381132 | COMPLETE

2025-05-07 12:00 AM (EDT) | Softball | ETSU Buccaneers (Bucs) vs. Western Carolina Catamounts | #6381130 | COMPLETE

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Two conference records fall in the opening two games of the SoCon Softball Tournament

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Chattanooga utility player Olivia Lipari has been named the Southern Conference Player of the Year and Mocs right-hander Peja Goold has been named the SoCon Pitcher of the Year in voting of the league’s eight head coaches. UNCG infielder Macy Michael was voted the SoCon Freshmen of the Year and Chattanooga’s Frank Reed was recognized by his peers as the league’s coach of the year.The coaches also named All-SoCon first and second teams and an all-freshman team. Due to a tie in the voting, an extra catcher is on the first team.Lipari is in the top five in the league in six offensive categories. The Oviedo, Florida, native finished the season leading the Mocs in batting average (.375), hits (54), RBIs (39) and walks (33). Lipari led Chattanooga to its second straight 30-win season and No. 1 seed in the SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg this week. The senior, who played and started all 52 games for the Mocs, completed the regular season with 15 multi-hit games and two or more RBIs in a game on 11 occasions. Lipari is Chattanooga’s sixth SoCon Player of the Year and the first since SoCon Hall of Famer Michelle Fuzzard won the honor in 2012.Goold amassed 23 wins with a 1.50 ERA, striking out 224 batters in 177.1 innings pitched over 34 appearances (26 starts) this season. The sophomore’s 224 strikeouts were more than four SoCon teams had during the regular season. Goold, who was the SoCon Preseason Pitcher of the Year, threw 20 complete games, nine of which came in conference contests, and was named the conference’s pitcher of the week on March 10 and April 21. The native of Stockton, California, won SoCon Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season, marking the 12th time a Chattanooga pitcher received the award.Michael played in 49 games with 26 starts for UNCG, finishing the season with a .347 batting average, nine home runs and 34 RBIs. The Newton, North Carolina, product had two or more hits in eight games, including a four-hit outing on May 3, which included a grand slam against Western Carolina. Michael becomes UNCG’s fourth recipient of the award, with the last coming in 2021 when Morgan Scott took home the honor for the Spartans.Reed earned SoCon Coach of the Year for the seventh time, marking his first win since the 2015 season. Reed’s win is the 10th occasion a Mocs head coach has won the honor. In his 24th season at the helm, Reed led Chattanooga to a 39-13 overall record and 15-5 mark in SoCon games. The Mocs won the SoCon’s regular season crown for the second straight season and will be the conference tournament’s No. 1 seed. Chattanooga leads the SoCon in triples (15), strikeouts thrown (406) and shutouts (14).UNCG and Samford led the league with five all-conference selections apiece. The Spartans had four first-team selections as catcher Betsy Eatmon, outfielders Kaylyn Belfield and Grace Loftin and utility/pitcher Jorde Chartrand made the squad. The Bulldogs’ Olivia Shaw made the first team as a designated player and an infielder. Mercer, Chattanooga and Wofford each had two selections on the first team. The Bears were represented by infielder Tori Hedgecock and outfielder Hallie Langford, the Mocs saw Goold and Lipari make the squad, and the Terriers placed pitcher Margaret Axelson and catcher Hope Ingle on the first team. Western Carolina’s Lily Bell rounded out the first team.Samford had three selections on the second team as infielders Grier Bruce and Sarah Squillace, along with outfielder McKayla Cothran made the squad. ETSU, Furman and Chattanooga all had two make the second team. The Bucs were represented by infielder Cameron Young and utility/pitcher Sara Muir. The Paladins placed outfielder Caitlin Goldwait and designated player Sylvia Burroughs on the squad, and for the Mocs, pitcher Taylor Long and outfielder Camryn Cernuto made the team. Mercer catcher Sietske Drijvers, Wofford pitcher Abby Greenwod and Michael completed the second team picks.Michael was also on the all-freshman team. She was joined by her teammate Hadley Gardner, Mercer’s Hannah Rivers and Grace Jones, Samford’s Joi Hubbard and Ella Nelson, Chattanooga’s Lexi Cooley, and Wofford’s Natalya Salo, Rivers Sampson and Brianna Stanley.The Southern Conference Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg gets underway on Wednesday at Hope Field in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The tournament runs through Saturday, with each game slated to be broadcast live on ESPN+.   Player of the YearOlivia Lipari, Sr., UTL, ChattanoogaPitcher of the YearPeja Goold, Jr., RHP, ChattanoogaFreshman of the YearMacy Michael, INF, UNCGCoach of the YearFrank Reed, ChattanoogaFirst TeamP – Peja Goold, Jr., ChattanoogaP – Margaret Axelson, Jr., WoffordC – Betsy Eatmon, So., UNCGC – Hope Ingle, Sr., WoffordINF – Tori Hedgecock, Sr., MercerINF – Olivia Shaw, So., SamfordINF – Olivia Lipari, Sr., ChattanoogaINF – Lily Bell, So., Western CarolinaOF – Hallie Langford, R-Sr., MercerOF – Kaylyn Belfield, Jr., UNCGOF – Grace Loftin, Sr., UNCGDP or UT/Non-P – Olivia Shaw, So., SamfordUT/P – Jorde Chartrand, Sr., UNCGSecond TeamP – Taylor Long, Jr., ChattanoogaP – Abby Greenwood, So., WoffordC – Sietske Drijvers, Jr., MercerINF – Cameron Young, Sr., ETSUINF – Macy Michael, Fr., UNCGINF – Grier Bruce, Sr., SamfordINF – Sarah Squillace, Sr., SamfordOF – Caitlin Goldwait, Sr., FurmanOF – McKayla Cothran, Sr., SamfordOF – Camryn Cernuto, Sr., ChattanoogaDP or UT/Non-P – Sylvia Burroughs, Jr., FurmanUT/P – Sara Muir, Sr., ETSUAll-FreshmanHannah Rivers, INF, MercerGrace Jones, P/INF, MercerHadley Gardner, INF/OF, UNCGMacy Michael, INF, UNCGJoi Hubbard, UTL, SamfordElla Nelson, INF, SamfordLexi Cooley, UTL, ChattanoogaNatalya Salo, P, WoffordRivers Sampson, OF, WoffordBrianna Stanley, INF, Wofford</div>

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All-SoCon softball teams announced 5/6/25

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG infielder Macy Michael and Mercer right-hander Katheryn Rearley have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from April 28-May 4. The awards are selected by the league office.Michael hit a blistering .833 in a pair of UNCG wins over Western Carolina on May 4. The freshman went 4-for-4, including a first-inning grand slam, with six RBIs in the team’s 7-3 win in game one of the team’s doubleheader with the Catamounts. Michael finished that contest, which began on May 3 and was postponed to Sunday due to weather, a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Later that day, the native of Newton, North Carolina, had a hit, a run scored and two RBIs, which came via sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning, as UNCG defeated Western Carolina, 9-1. Michael is currently in the top 10 in the SoCon in batting average (.347), runs (35) and home runs (9).Rearley threw two complete-game shutouts for the Bears over the weekend. The redshirt junior tossed six strikeouts, giving up just two hits in a 16-0 triumph at Furman on May 3. The next day, the Townsend, Georgia, product had another six strikeouts in a 9-0 win against the Paladins. Rearley did not walk a batter in either of her two appearances against Furman.UNCG (38-16, 14-6 SoCon) will be the No. 2 seed in the 2025 SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg. The Spartans have a bye and will face either No. 3 seed Samford, No. 6 Western Carolina or No. 7 seed ETSU on Thursday, May 8, at 1 p.m. eastern. Mercer (31-23, 11-9), who is on a five-game winning streak, enters the 2025 SoCon Softball Championship presented by One Spartanburg as the fifth seed. The Bears open the tournament with a game against eighth-seeded Furman on Wednesday, May 7, at 10 a.m. eastern.Other nominees for player of the week: Tori Hedgecock (Mercer) and Baileigh Pitts (Chattanooga)   Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Gabby Fowler (ETSU), Reese Byrd (UNCG) and Taylor Long (Chattanooga)  2025 SoCon Softball Players of the Week Feb. 10                                   Acelynn Sellers, Sr., INF, ChattanoogaFeb. 17                                   Kate Platte, R-So., INF, WoffordFeb. 24                                   Hallie Langford, Jr., OF, MercerMarch 3                                   Maya McPherson, So., INF, Western CarolinaMarch 10                                 Lily Bell, So., INF, Western CarolinaMarch 17                                 Hadley Gardner, Fr., OF, UNCGMarch 24                                 Hallie Langford, Jr., OF, MercerMarch 31                                 Ella Nelson, Fr., INF, SamfordApril 7                                     Grier Bruce, Sr., INF, SamfordApril 14                                   Katie Campbell, So., INF, SamfordApril 21                                   Olivia Shaw, So., INF, SamfordApril 28                                   Sydney Dirks, So., INF, Western CarolinaMay 5                                      Macy Michael, Fr., INF, UNCG 2025 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week Feb. 10                                   Margaret Axelson, Jr., WoffordFeb. 17                                   Salem Ward, Jr., UNCGFeb. 24                                   Natalya Salo, Fr., WoffordMarch 3                                   Olivia Trout, Jr., SamfordMarch 10                                 Peja Goold, Jr., ChattanoogaMarch 17                                 Jorde Chartrand, Sr., UNCGMarch 24                                 Tessa Juett, Sr., Western CarolinaMarch 31                                 Taylor Long, Jr., ChattanoogaApril 7                                     Jordyn Partain, Sr., SamfordApril 14                                   Abby Greenwood, So., WoffordApril 21                                   Peja Goold, Jr., ChattanoogaApril 28                                   Gabby Ellis, So., MercerMay 5                                      Katheryn Rearley, R-Jr., Mercer</div>

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SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced 5/5/25

SoCon Softball News

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SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced

SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced

SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced

SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced

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All-SoCon softball teams announced

SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced

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