SOCON Softball - Game 12 - Samford vs UNCG

Box Score

Chattanooga, TN

Softball

Samford Bulldogs

Samford Bulldogs Softball team

UNC Greensboro Spartans

UNC Greensboro Spartans Softball team

SoCon

2026-05-10 | Softball | Samford Bulldogs vs UNC Greensboro Spartans | #6579008 | COMPLETE

SOCON Softball - Game 12 - Samford vs UNCG (uKn-wbjJklo)

SoCon Softball - Game 9 - UNCG vs Samford

SoCon Softball - Game 9 - UNCG vs Samford (IZ7zzUyqlZk)

SOCON Softball - Game 11 - Chattanooga vs Samford

Chattanooga Mocs

Chattanooga Mocs Softball team

2026-05-09 | Softball | Chattanooga Mocs vs Samford Bulldogs | #6579009 | COMPLETE

SOCON Softball - Game 11 - Chattanooga vs Samford (OZYy9hYKWQk)

SOCON Softball - Game 10 - Chattanooga vs Wofford

Wofford Terriers

Wofford Terriers Softball team

2026-05-09 | Softball | Chattanooga Mocs vs Wofford Terriers | #6579010 | COMPLETE

SOCON Softball - Game 10 - Chattanooga vs Wofford (t_b_bdvamNg)

Southern Conference

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

SOCON Softball Game 8 - Chattanooga vs WCU - Match Highlight

Western Carolina Catamounts

Western Carolina Catamounts Softball team

2026-05-08 | Softball | Chattanooga Mocs vs Western Carolina Catamounts | #6579014 | COMPLETE

Western Carolina

SOCON Softball Game 8 - Chattanooga vs WCU - Match Highlight (MSTMvFbNKfI)

UNCG Softball

UNC Greensboro

North Carolina Greensboro

Successful semester on the field AND in the classroom! 🤓 #letsgoG https://t.co/q2bYdJ67xL

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We enjoyed having the first of our incoming freshmen, Karrie, Landri, and Haylee, on campus this past week for SOAR!  We can’t wait for them to be back on campus in August! #letsgoG https://t.co/zwf3ns97gC

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Wofford Softball

Wofford

Wofford College

Big happy birthday to @AddieLuce3 !! Have a great day! 🎁 https://t.co/EbdB4sEVZF

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Chattanooga Softball

Come celebrate World Softball Night this Thursday at the @ChattLookouts. Mocs head coach @CoachFrankReed will throw out the first pitch. There will be autographs and a parade!
#GoMocs https://t.co/Ta9wp82WXj

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𝐀 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

#ConquerandPrevail #ForTheW https://t.co/Gn7yBOJkD0

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ETSU Softball

ETSU Buccaneers

East Tennessee State University

camps are almost here 🤩 

don't fret, there's still time to register ⬇️
https://t.co/sWy3RUsPru

🥎 ID Camp #1
🗓️ June 8

🥎 ID Camp #2
🗓️ June 22

#GoBucs | #DEEP⚓️ https://t.co/xhjNh0VsBQ

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Riley Martens - the 2026 team leader in putouts (288) and fielding % (.990) ✨

#GoBucs | #DEEP⚓️ https://t.co/xiGb81yv5r

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Hailey Porter - the 2026 team leader in assists (98) and at-bats (152) AND the only Buc to START AND PLAY in all 52 contests ✨

#GoBucs | #DEEP⚓️ https://t.co/XIgEqsYsGR

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Marissa Barnes - the 2026 team leader in shutouts (3)✨

#GoBucs | #DEEP⚓️ https://t.co/OplCPk8Wji

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Eden Muncy - the 2026 team leader in ERA (2.65), wins (5), complete games (7), innings pitched (95.0), WHIP (1.15), opp. avg. (.210), saves (2) and shutouts (3)✨

#GoBucs | #DEEP⚓️ https://t.co/8xQ0LyTznU

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accn

Athens, GA

2026-05-15 | Softball | UNC Greensboro Spartans vs Clemson Tigers | #6581053 | COMPLETE

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The Southern Conference

FIRST NCAA WIN! UNCG Shuts Out Clemson, 1-0

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UNCG: NCAA TICKET PUNCHED! Softball Shuts Out Samford for SoCon Title

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 1 UNCG 4, No. 2 Samford 0 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 1 seed UNCG bested No. 2 seed Samford, winning 4-0 to clinch the conference title on Sunday at Frost Stadium at the SoCon Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company. With their fourth SoCon tournament title, the Spartans (42-17) claimed the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. The selection show will air on ESPN2 on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. UNCG last won the tournament in 2023, which was also played at Frost Stadium. The game’s first run came in the bottom of the second inning. Rylie Williams hit a solo shot to left field, putting the Spartans ahead 1-0. One inning later, Avery Bouquin tripled the lead with a two-run homer of her own, giving UNCG a 3-0 lead. The Spartans picked up an insurance run in the sixth inning. Madelyn McKinnon doubled off the right field wall, bringing Williams in to score. Brooklyn Shroyer, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, threw another gem, tossing a complete game, allowing just one hit and striking out seven batters. For the tournament, Shroyer went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 18 innings, logging 22 strikeouts and giving up just five hits. Williams was 3-for-3 in the game at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Nya South drew three walks and scored a run for UNCG. Tournament Most Outstanding PlayerBrooklyn Shroyer, Jr., RHP, UNCG   Knight Commission Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)Madelyn McKinnon, Sr., C, UNCG  All-Tournament Team Avery Bouquin, UNCGLaney Deane, UNCGMacy Michael, UNCGBrooklyn Shroyer, UNCGBaileigh Pitts, ChattanoogaTaylor Long, ChattanoogaKatie Hart, SamfordOlivia Shaw, SamfordMakinley Turner, SamfordLily Bell, Western Carolina 2026 SoCon Softball Championship Chattanooga, Tenn. Thursday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Chattanooga 10, No. 8 Furman 3 Game 2: No. 6 ETSU 7, No. 7 Mercer 0 Game 3: No. 4 Wofford 2, No. 5 Chattanooga 0 Game 4: No. 3 Western Carolina 2, No. 6 ETSU 1  Friday, May 8 Game 5: No. 1 UNCG 19, No. 4 Wofford 4 Game 6: No. 2 Samford 14, No. 3 Western Carolina 1 Game 7: No. 4 Wofford 5, No. 6 ETSU 4 Game 8: No. 5 Chattanooga 7, No. 3 Western Carolina 6 Saturday, May 9 Game 9: No. 1 UNCG 5, No. 2 Samford 0 Game 10: No. 5 Chattanooga 7, No. 4 Wofford 0 Game 11: No. 2 Samford 8, No. 5 Chattanooga 6   Sunday, May 10Game 12: No. 1 UNCG 4, No. 2 Samford 0 </div>

Photo by Carly Bonas

Samford University

UNCG wins the SoCon Softball Championship

2026 Softball Tournament

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 1 UNCG 5, No. 2 Samford 0 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – In the first game of the day at the 2026 SoCon Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium on Saturday, top-seeded UNCG picked up a 5-0 shutout victory over No. 2 seed Samford. Samford (27-30) will now play an elimination game later today at 4 p.m. against the winner of the game between No. 4 seed Wofford and No. 5 seed Chattanooga. UNCG (41-17) will play the winner of the 4 p.m. game from Saturday on Sunday at 10 a.m. Second-team all-conference selection Nya South hit a solo home run in the first inning, giving UNCG an early lead. The Spartans would increase their lead in the third inning after SoCon Freshman of the Year Avery Bouquin drew a bases loaded walk, making the score 2-0 in favor of the No. 1 seed. In the fourth inning, first-team all-conference infielder Macy Micheal homered to left field, putting UNCG ahead 3-0. The Spartans got their final two runs off the bat of Hadley Gardner in the fifth. Gardner hit a double to the right center gap, scoring all-freshman pick Jazmin Mejia and Bouquin on the play. In a game that featured 15 players that were voted onto the SoCon all-conference or all-freshman teams, SoCon Pitcher of the Year Brooklyn Shroyer had the strongest performance. Shroyer got her 20th win of the season inside the circle, striking out seven batters and allowing just one hit. The native of San Damas, California, has pitched 11 scoreless innings over two games in the tournament so far. Michael led the UNCG offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored. No. 5 Chattanooga 7, No. 4 Wofford 0 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 5 seed Chattanooga continued its run at the 2026 SoCon Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium with a 7-0 win over No. 4 seed Wofford. With the win, Chattanooga (25-27-1) advanced to face No. 2 Samford in an elimination game on Saturday at 4 p.m. Wofford ends its season with a 35-19 record. After a scoreless first inning, Chattanooga put three on the board in the second. Three straight singles loaded the bases before Zoe Wright hit a double to the left center gap, bringing each runner across home plate. Two innings later, Chloe Lackey crushed a two-run shot over the left field fence, making the score 5-0 in favor of the Mocs. The team’s final two runs came off a home run by Abi Bunt in the fifth. Emery Bales came out of the bullpen to get her ninth win of the season inside the circle. Bales pitched four innings, striking out three batters and surrendering just two hits. Lackey was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, finishing a triple away from the cycle for Chattanooga. Ava Cowart and Jade Gainer each had a pair of hits for the Mocs. Brianna Stanley, Gracie Parker and Desirae Devine all had hits for Wofford. No. 2 Samford 8, No. 5 Chattanooga 6 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 2 seed Samford rallied back and held on for a hard-fought win over No. 5 seed Chattanooga, 8-6, in the final game of day three at the 2026 SoCon Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium on Saturday. The Bulldogs (28-30) will face No. 1 seed UNCG on Sunday at 10 a.m. with the tournament title on the line. Samford is looking for its first conference tournament title in 10 years. The Spartans are going for their fourth tournament crown. Chattanooga finished its season with a 25-29-1 record. Samford got on the board on its first at-bat as Brandy Phillips hit a leadoff home run to left field. Chattanooga built its lead to four runs in the third inning. The Mocs loaded the bases after two singles, a sacrifice bunt and a walk. Baileigh Pitts then singled to left field, scoring Chloe Lackey to make the score 1-1. Anna Dovey brought two runners across home plate on the next at-bat, doubling to left center field. The next batter was Abi Bunt, who singled and was thrown out trying to advance to second base, but that was not before Pitts and Dovey crossed home plate, making the score 5-1 in favor of the Mocs. In the bottom of the fourth, SoCon Player of the Year Olivia Shaw doubled down the left field line, bringing Joi Hubbard and Katie Hart in to score and cutting the lead in half. One inning later, the Bulldogs loaded the bases after three walks before a fielding error allowed two runs to score, tying the game at 5-5 heading into the sixth inning. Samford continued to have quality at-bats and took the lead in the sixth. Shaw and Katie Campbell drew walks before Ella Nelson laid down a sacrifice bunt, placing both runners in scoring position. Addison Smith hit the tournament’s first triple on the next at-bat, making the score 7-5. Brantley Drake scored Smith on an RBI groundout after that, putting the Bulldogs ahead 8-5. Lackey led off the final frame with a solo home run on the first pitch she saw, closing the gap to 8-6. Raven Jones and Zoe Wright delivered back-to-back singles on the next two at-bats, placing runners on first and second with zero outs. Samford got outs on the next two plays via runner’s interference and a groundout. Makinley Turner walked the next batter on four pitches to load the bases, but forced an infield pop out on her next pitch, clinching the Bulldogs’ spot in the championship game. Turner got the win for Samford inside the circle, throwing four innings out of the bullpen. Hart and Brooke Wildes both went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Bulldogs. Pitts, Lackey and Jones all had two hits for Chattanooga. 2026 SoCon Softball Championship Chattanooga, Tenn. Thursday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Chattanooga 10, No. 8 Furman 3 Game 2: No. 6 ETSU 7, No. 7 Mercer 0 Game 3: No. 4 Wofford 2, No. 5 Chattanooga 0 Game 4: No. 3 Western Carolina 2, No. 6 ETSU 1  Friday, May 8 Game 5: No. 1 UNCG 19, No. 4 Wofford 4 Game 6: No. 2 Samford 14, No. 3 Western Carolina 1 Game 7: No. 4 Wofford 5, No. 6 ETSU 4 Game 8: No. 5 Chattanooga 7, No. 3 Western Carolina 6 Saturday, May 9 Game 9: No. 1 UNCG 5, No. 2 Samford 0 Game 10: No. 5 Chattanooga 7, No. 4 Wofford 0 Game 11: No. 2 Samford 8, No. 5 Chattanooga 6   Sunday, May 10Game 12: No. 1 UNCG vs. No. 2 Samford, 10 a.m.</div>

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Top two seeds set to face off in the SoCon Softball Championship

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 1 UNCG 19, No. 4 Wofford 4 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 1 seed UNCG had an offensive explosion in the first game of day two at the 2026 SoCon Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium on Friday, winning, 19-4, over No. 4 seed Wofford. The Spartans (40-17) advanced to play at 10 a.m. on Saturday against the winner of the Samford and Western Carolina game. Wofford (34-18) will face No. 6 seed ETSU in an elimination game at 4 p.m. later today. The two teams combined for a total of four hits in the first 2 ½ innings played. UNCG began its offensive outburst in the bottom of the third. Second-team all-conference selection Nya South hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Madelyn McKinnon for the game’s first run. Fellow second-team performer Laney Deane crushed a three-run homer to left field in the next at-bat, making the score 4-0. The bottom half of the fourth inning was record-breaking for the Spartans. UNCG finished with 12 hits and 15 runs in the inning, both establishing new records for the SoCon Tournament. The frame was highlighted by three-run home runs from first-team all-conference selection Macy Michael and second team pick and SoCon Freshman of the Year Avery Bouquin. Wofford got all of its runs in the fifth inning. First-team all-conference selection Brianna Stanley hit a bases-clearing double, giving the Terriers their first three runs. Two batters later, Kaytlin Greenwood hit an RBI single, bringing Madison Thieke across home plate for the game’s final score. SoCon Pitcher of the Year Brooklyn Shroyer (19-6) threw four innings for UNCG, recording eight strikeouts and giving up three hits. Six different Spartans had two or more hits. Bouquin finished the game with five RBIs, while Michael and Deane each had four. UNCG set conference tournament records for most runs in a game (19), most RBIs (19) and largest margin of victory (15). The two teams combined for the most runs scored in a SoCon Tournament game (23). No. 2 Samford 14, No. 3 Western Carolina 1 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The No. 2 seed Samford Bulldogs defeated the No. 3 seed Western Carolina Catamounts, 14-1, in five innings on Friday during the 2026 SoCon Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium. Samford (27-29) will now face the No. 1 seed UNCG at 10 a.m. on Saturday, with the winner of that game advancing to the championship round. Western Carolina (34-23) will face No. 5 Chattanooga in an elimination game later today at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs began the game with three straight singles, before Addison Smith had an RBI single to bring the first run of the game across home plate. Brantley Drake and Brooke Wildes each singled on the next two at-bats, driving in three more runs to give Samford a 4-0 lead. In the top of the second inning, Western Carolina scored their run. After hitting a double to lead off the frame, Maya McPherson scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. Samford got four more runs in the second. The first coming from an RBI single by Ella Nelson. Drake and Wildes once again drove in runs, Drake on a double and Wildes on a single. Olivia Shaw and Katie Campbell, both first-team all-conference selections, each drove in a run during the third inning, making the score 10-1. One inning later, Shaw blasted a two-out grand slam to left field, stretching the Bulldogs lead to 14-1. Shaw, who is the SoCon Player of the Year, went 4-for-4, including the grand slam and two doubles, while logging five RBIs and three runs scored. Drake finished with four RBIs. No. 4 Wofford 5, No. 6 ETSU 4 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 4 seed Wofford rallied back to defeat No. 6 seed ETSU, 5-4, during the third game of the day at the 2026 SoCon Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium. Wofford advances to Saturday’s 1 p.m. game against either No. 3 seed Western Carolina or No. 5 seed Chattanooga. ETSU ends its season at 22-30. ETSU got on the board in the top of the first inning. Whitney Boone hit an RBI single, scoring one run before an error allowed a second run to score. Leinani Lutu singled on the next at-bat, bringing Boone across home plate to put the Bucs ahead, 3-0. The score stayed the same until the bottom of the fifth inning. Following a walk and a pair of fielder’s choices which placed runners on first and second, Kaytlin Greenwood doubled to left center, scoring Abbi Campbell and Addison Lucier, cutting the score to 3-2. After that, the Terriers loaded the bases following a pair of walks and a fielder’s choice. With the bases juiced, first-team all-conference selection Desirae Devine delivered a double to the left center gap, clearing the bags and making the score 5-3 in favor of Wofford. In the next half inning, ETSU cut the lead in half. Riley Martens began the frame with a double and a single from Maddison Stowell placed runners on the corners. After that, Hailey Porter, an all-freshman team selection, hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Martens to make the score 5-4. However, a strikeout and a fielder’s choice out ended the frame following the run. In the seventh inning, Lutu hit a one-out double and advanced to third base on a groundout. Wofford pitcher Abby Greenwood then forced a popout, ending the inning and the game. Greenwood (14-6) went the distance inside the circle, logging her 14th complete game of the season. Lucier was 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Terriers at the plate. Lutu and Martens both had a pair of hits for the Buccaneers. No. 5 Chattanooga 7, No. 3 Western Carolina 6 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 5 seed Chattanooga won a thriller over No. 3 seed Western Carolina, 7-6, in the final game of day two at the 2026 SoCon Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium on Friday. The Mocs overcame a three-run deficit in the game’s final inning to advance. Chattanooga (24-28-1) will now play in Saturday’s 1 p.m. game versus No. 4 seed Wofford, which will be an elimination game. Western Carolina ends its season at 34-24. Chattanooga scored the first runs of the game on one swing of the bat. Following singles from Ava Cowart and Annika Segedi, Baileigh Pitts crushed the first pitch she saw over the left field fence. The Mocs led 3-0 after three innings of play. Western Carolina took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Sydnee Bumgarner came in as a pinch hitter and drew a leadoff walk, which was followed by a single from Lily Bell. After the runners advanced to scoring position, Maya McPherson reached on an error as Courtney Marks, who re-entered the game for Bumgarner, and Bell crossed home plate on the play. Tate Stewman stepped into the batter’s box after that and hit a home run to right field, scoring two runs and putting the Catamounts ahead 4-3. In the sixth inning, Western Carolina extended its lead to 6-3. After three singles loaded the bases, Taylor Waitley drew a walk. Two batters later, McPherson also drew a bases-loaded walk, setting the stage for the dramatic final frame. Raven Jones doubled to begin the inning. Following an error and a single by Cowart, the Mocs had the bases loaded with zero outs. Abi Bunt got an RBI infield single during the next at-bat, closing the gap to two runs. Pitts followed with an RBI single of her own, making the score 6-5. On the next at-bat, Mia Leone hit a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing Cowart in to score and tying the game at 6-6. Following a walk to reload the bases, Chloe Lackey singled through the left side, scoring Segedi and completing the rally. Taylor Long, who threw 192 pitches, tossed her 16th complete game of the season. She finished with 11 strikeouts and surrendered just two earned runs. Pitts was 4-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored. Cowart and Jones both had two hits for the Mocs. Bell led the Catamounts at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. 2026 SoCon Softball Championship Chattanooga, Tenn. Thursday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Chattanooga 10, No. 8 Furman 3 Game 2: No. 6 ETSU 7, No. 7 Mercer 0 Game 3: No. 4 Wofford 2, No. 5 Chattanooga 0 Game 4: No. 3 Western Carolina 2, No. 6 ETSU 1  Friday, May 8 Game 5: No. 1 UNCG 19, No. 4 Wofford 4 Game 6: No. 2 Samford 14, No. 3 Western Carolina 1 Game 7: No. 4 Wofford 5, No. 6 ETSU 4 Game 8: No. 5 Chattanooga 7, No. 3 Western Carolina 6 Saturday, May 9 Game 9: No. 1 UNCG vs. No. 2 Samford, 10 a.m. Game 10: No. 4 Wofford vs. No. 5 Chattanooga, 1 p.m. Game 11: Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser, 4 p.m.   Sunday, May 10Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 10 a.m. Game 13 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 12 </div>

Day two of SoCon Softball Championships in the books

<div class="payload-richtext">No. 5 Chattanooga 10, No. 8 Furman 3 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 5 seed Chattanooga pulled away late from No. 8 seed Furman, winning 10-3 in the opening game of the Southern Conference Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium on Thursday. The Mocs (23-27-1) advance to play No. 4 seed Wofford (33-17) later today at 4 p.m. The Paladins (13-40) were eliminated from the tournament. Chattanooga scored first via a sacrifice fly off the bat of second-team all-conference selection Bailiegh Pitts, scoring all-freshman team pick Ava Cowart to give the Mocs a 1-0 lead. Furman took the lead in the top of the second inning, getting runs from Rachel Hawkins and Christina McCoy to take 2-1 lead. The Mocs would tie the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame following an RBI double from Raven Jones. Pitts broke the tie with a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the third. In the next half inning, second-team and all-freshman team selection Kristyn Embler hit an RBI single to left field for Furman, tying the score at 3-3. In the bottom of the fifth inning, one swing of the bat gave Chattanooga the lead for good. Anna Dovey blasted a grand slam over the center field fence, giving the Mocs a 7-3 lead. Pitts and Dovey drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks in the sixth inning, making the score 9-3. Annika Segedi scored the final run of the game on a passed ball later in the frame. Taylor Long (12-15) picked up the win inside the circle, tossing a complete game and striking out 11 batters.   Cowart went 2-for-4 with three runs scored in the leadoff spot for the Mocs. Embler was 2-for-4 at the plate for the Paladins. No. 6 ETSU 7, No. 7 Mercer 0 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 6 seed ETSU defeated No. 7 seed Mercer, 7-0, in the second game of the 2026 Southern Conference Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company on Thursday at Frost Stadium. ETSU (22-28) advances to play No. 3 seed Western Carolina later today at 7 p.m. The Bears (20-30) were eliminated for the tournament. The Buccaneers were powered by pitcher Eden Muncy’s masterpiece inside the pitcher’s circle. Muncy, who won SoCon Pitcher of the Week on Monday for her work in the final weekend of the regular season, recorded the first no-hitter at the SoCon Tournament since 2016. The sophomore from Duffield, Virginia, had three strikeouts and gave up two walks in the fifth inning. The other six innings were perfect for Muncy.   ETSU scored their first run in the fourth inning off an RBI single from all-freshman team selection Riley Croley. Riley Martens laid down a sacrifice bunt on the next at-bat, scoring Leinani Lutu and making score 2-0 in favor of the Bucs. In the next inning, Whitney Boone singled, bringing second-team all-conference selection Abigail Taylor across home plate for the team’s first score of the frame. Two batters later, Tiare Rieger hit an RBI single, making the score 4-0. Martens kept the rally going after that, hitting a two-run RBI single up the middle. Leilani Coleman-Til hit a single on the next at-bat, bringing Martens in to score for the game’s final run. Boone, Croley, Rieger and Coleman-Til all had two hits in the contest. Martens finished with three RBIs. No. 4 Wofford 2, No. 5 Chattanooga 0 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – No. 4 seed Wofford won over No. 5 seed Chattanooga, 2-0, in the third game of the 2026 Southern Conference Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company at Frost Stadium. The Terriers (34-17) advance to play No. 1 seed UNCG (39-17) on Friday at 10 a.m. The Mocs (23-28-1) fall to an elimination contest on Friday at 7 p.m. against an opponent to be determined. Wofford scored its first run in the opening frame. Gracie Parker hit an RBI groundout to the shortstop, bringing second-team all-conference selection Addison Lucier in to score. Chattanooga nearly tied the game in the fifth inning. Raven Jones reached on an error and advanced to second base. Zoe Wright singled through the right side in the next at-bat, but Jones was thrown out at the plate by Wofford right fielder Abbi Campbell, keeping the score at 1-0. Madison Thieke scored the second run of the game as Wofford executed a double steal with one out in the sixth inning. The Terriers then had a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to secure the victory. Both pitchers went the distance for their respective squad. Abby Greenwood (13-6) threw a complete game for Wofford, striking out six batters and allowing just three hits. Taylor Long (12-16) pitched six innings for Chattanooga, logging seven strikeouts and giving up four hits. No. 3 Western Carolina 2, No. 6 ETSU 1 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The No. 3 seed Western Carolina Catamounts topped the No. 6 seed ETSU Buccaneers, 2-1, in the final game of day one at the 2026 Southern Conference Softball Championship presented by Chattanooga Tourism Company on Thursday at Frost Stadium. The Catamounts (34-22) advance to play No. 2 seed Samford (26-29) on Friday at 1 p.m. The Bucs (22-29) fall to an elimination game on Friday at 4 p.m. against an opponent to be determined. Western Carolina scored each of its runs in the second inning. The first run came on a sacrifice fly by Tatum Martin, before second-team all-conference team selection Becka Wonsick stole home on a successful double steal. ETSU got one of the runs back in the sixth inning. Whitney Boone and Leinani Lutu hit back-to-back doubles to begin the frame, making the score 2-1. In the final frame, all-freshman team pick Hailey Porter hit a one-out single to right field, placing the tying run on base. However, the Catamounts retired the next two batters via a fly out and a strikeout to close the game. First-team all-conference pitcher Amanda Fulton threw her 16th complete game of the season for Western Carolina, striking out four batters and allowing one earned run. Wonsick and second-team all-conference selection Lily Bell each had two hits for the Catamounts. Porter was 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Bucs. 2026 SoCon Softball Championship Chattanooga, Tenn. Thursday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Chattanooga 10, No. 8 Furman 3 Game 2: No. 6 ETSU 7, No. 7 Mercer 0 Game 3: No. 4 Wofford 2, No. 5 Chattanooga 0 Game 4: No. 3 Western Carolina 2, No. 6 ETSU 1  Friday, May 8 Game 5: No. 1 UNCG vs. No. 4 Wofford, 10 a.m. Game 6: No. 2 Samford vs. No. 3 Western Carolina, 1 p.m. Game 7: No. 6 ETSU vs. Game 5 loser, 4 p.m. Game 8: No. 5 Chattanooga vs. Game 6 loser, 7 p.m. Saturday, 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.   Sunday, May 10Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 10 a.m. Game 13 (if necessary): Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 12</div>

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Furman Paladins

Furman University

Mercer

Day one of SoCon Softball Championships in the books

<div class="payload-richtext">Thursday, May 7 Game 1: No. 5 Chattanooga vs. No. 8 Furman, 10 a.m. Game 2: No. 6 ETSU vs. No. 7 Mercer, 1 p.m. Game 3: No. 4 Wofford vs. Game 1 winner, 4 p.m. Game 4: No. 3 Western Carolina vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. </div>

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Softball Championship Schedule Update

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford infielder Olivia Shaw has been named the Southern Conference Player of the Year and UNCG right-hander Brooklyn Shroyer has been named the SoCon Pitcher of the Year in voting of the league’s eight head coaches. Spartans’ catcher/infielder Avery Bouquin was voted the SoCon Freshmen of the Year and UNCG’s Janelle Breneman was recognized by her 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 utility/pitcher is on the first team. On the second team, an extra infielder and outfielder were included based on a tie in the voting. Shaw, who was the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year, finished the season in the top 10 in the SoCon in seven offensive categories, including leading the conference in doubles (17). The native of Hoschton, Georgia, leads the Bulldogs in batting average (.381), hits (64) and runs (43). The junior, who played and started all 55 games for Samford, finished the season with 18 multi-hit games and two or more RBIs in a game on 15 occasions. Shaw is the Bulldogs’ fourth SoCon Player of the Year, the first since Mary Katherine Tedder in 2022.  Shroyer amassed 18 wins and two saves with a 1.58 ERA, striking out 163 batters in 141.1 innings pitched over 30 appearances (19 starts) this season. The junior tossed nine shutouts this season, which is ranked third in the NCAA. Shroyer was named the SoCon Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 23, March 9 and March 30. The product of San Dimas, California, became UNCG’s second winner of SoCon Pitcher of the Year, joining the 2021 and 2022 recipient Morgan Scott. Bouquin played in 52 games with 51 starts for UNCG, completing the regular season with a .362 batting average, five home runs, 16 doubles, which is second in the SoCon, and 35 RBIs. The Palmetto, Florida, native had two or more hits in 14 games, with six of those coming in league contests. Bouquin is UNCG’s fifth recipient of the SoCon Freshman of the Year award. Breneman earned SoCon Coach of the Year for the fifth time, marking her first win since the 2023 season. In her 14th year at the helm, Breneman led UNCG to a 39-17 overall record and a 17-4 mark in SoCon games. The Spartans won the SoCon regular season crown for the seventh time and will be the conference tournament’s No. 1 seed. UNCG leads the league in ERA (2.22), strikeouts (291) and doubles (90), while placing second in hits (449), RBIs (294) and home runs (60).  UNCG led the league with eight all-conference selections. The Spartans had three first-team selections as Shroyer was joined by infielder Macy Michael and outfielder Kaylyn Belfield on the squad. Samford, Western Carolina and Wofford had three selections on the first team. Shaw made the squad alongside teammates, catcher Katie Campbell and utility/pitcher Brandy Phillips. The Catamounts were represented by pitcher Amanda Fulton, infielder Maya McPherson and outfielder Sydney Dirks. The Terriers’ first team selections were outfielder Desirae Devine and Brianna Stanley, who was selected as an infielder and designated player. Mercer’s Grace Jones rounded out the first team as an utility/pitcher. UNCG had five selections on the second team as Bouquin, pitcher Rhyann Jones, infielder Laney Deane, outfielder Rylie Williams and designated player Nya South made the squad. Western Carolina had three picks on the second team with infielders Lily Bell and Tate Stewman and outfielder Becka Wonsick making the team. Samford’s selections were pitcher Makinley Turner and outfielder Addison Smith. ETSU outfielder Abigail Taylor, Furman utility/pitcher Kristyn Embler, Chattanooga infielder Baileigh Pitts and Wofford catcher Addison Lucier completed the second team picks. Bouquin and Embler also made the all-freshman team. They were joined by ETSU’s Riley Croley and Hailey Porter, UNCG’s Jazmin Mejia, Samford’s Reese Hickey, Chattanooga’s Ava Cowart, and Western Carolina’s Briony Bunsic, Kayden Lyda and Amari Burce. The Southern Conference Softball Championship gets underway on Wednesday at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The tournament runs through Saturday, with each game slated to be broadcast live on ESPN+.   Player of the YearOlivia Shaw, Jr., INF, Samford Pitcher of the YearBrooklyn Shroyer, Jr., RHP, UNCG Freshman of the YearAvery Bouquin, C/INF, UNCG Coach of the YearJanelle Breneman, UNCG First TeamP – Brooklyn Shroyer, UNCGP – Amanda Fulton, Western CarolinaC – Katie Campbell, SamfordINF – Macy Michael, UNCGINF – Olivia Shaw, SamfordINF – Maya McPherson, Western CarolinaINF – Brianna Stanley, WoffordOF – Kaylyn Belfield, UNCGOF – Sydney Dirks, Western CarolinaOF – Desirae Devine, WoffordDP or UT/Non-P – Brianna Stanley, WoffordUT/P – Brandy Phillips, SamfordUT/P – Grace Jones, Mercer Second TeamP – Rhyann Jones, UNCGP – Makinley Turner, SamfordC – Addison Lucier, WoffordINF – Avery Bouquin, UNCGINF – Laney Deane, UNCGINF – Baileigh Pitts, ChattanoogaINF – Lily Bell, Western CarolinaINF – Tate Stewman, Western CarolinaOF – Abigail Taylor, ETSUOF – Rylie Williams, UNCGOF – Addison Smith, SamfordOF – Becka Wonsick, Western CarolinaDP or UT/Non-P – Nya South, UNCGUT/P – Kristyn Embler, Furman All-FreshmanRiley Croley, UTL, ETSUHailey Porter, INF, ETSUKristyn Embler, INF/P, FurmanAvery Bouquin, C/INF, UNCGJazmin Mejia, INF/OF, UNCGReese Hickey, P, SamfordAva Cowart, OF, ChattanoogaBriony Bunsic, P/INF, Western CarolinaKayden Lyda, INF, Western CarolinaAmari Burce, P/DP, Western Carolina  </div>

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All-SoCon softball teams announced

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – Wofford redshirt junior Kaytlin Greenwood was named SoCon Player of the Week and ETSU sophomore Eden Muncy was named Pitcher of the Week for games played from April 27-May 3. Greenwood (Columbia, SC / Cardinal Newman HS) led Wofford to a series sweep of Western Carolina last weekend, batting .500 (5-of-10) with four runs scored, a double, one home run, four RBI and three steals. She forged a 1.400 OPS and collected at least one hit in each of the three games. This season, Greenwood is batting .316 with 11 doubles, three home runs, 31 RBI, and 19 stolen bases in 50 games started at shortstop. Muncy (Duffield, VA / Rye Cove HS) went 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in a pair of starts last week, going the distance in wins over Gardner-Webb (4-3) and Mercer (8-1). She fanned five batters, scattered seven hits and held opposing batters to a frigid .143 batting average. In 20 appearances this season, Muncy has gone 4-6 with a 2.65 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 82.0 innings of work in the circle.  Also nominated for Player of the Week: Whitney Boone (ETSU), Hadley Gardner (UNC Greensboro). Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Natalya Salo (Wofford), Brooklyn Shroyer (UNC Greensboro). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 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 CarolinaMarch 16 - Avery Barton, Sr., SS, MercerMarch 23 - Maya McPherson, Jr., 3B, Western CarolinaMarch 30 - Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, SamfordApril 6 - Baileigh Pitts, Sr., 1B, ChattanoogaApril 13 - Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordApril 20 - Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, SamfordApril 27 - Nya South, Jr., INF, UNCGMay 4 - Kaytlin Greenwood, R-Jr., SS, Wofford  2025-26 SoCon Pitcher 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., UNCGMarch 16 - Amanda Fulton, So., Western CarolinaMarch 23 - Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 30 - Reese Hickey, Fr., SamfordApril 6 - Kristyn Embler, Fr., FurmanApril 13 - Makinley Turner, So., SamfordApril 20 - Makinley Turner, So., SamfordApril 27 - Reese Hickey, Fr., SamfordMay 4 - Eden Muncy, So., ETSU</div>

SoCon Softball Weekly Awards May 4

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG is the SoCon regular-season champion and will be the No. 1 seed in the Southern Conference Softball Championship, which will be contested at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, from May 6-9. All eight Southern Conference teams will participate in the tournament, with seeds 5 and 8 participating in a single-elimination game on Wednesday, May 6, at 10 a.m., and seeds 6 and 7 playing in a single-elimination game later that day at 1 p.m. for the right to advance to the double-elimination portion of the bracket. The championship game will take place on Sunday, May 9, at 1 p.m., with a second game, if necessary, beginning 30 minutes after the completion of the first contest. UNCG defeated Samford on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader to claim the top seed. The Spartans lead the league in ERA (2.24) and strikeouts (291), while placing second in hits (449), RBIs (294) and home runs (60).   With the top seed, the Spartans earned a bye to Thursday’s action at the tournament and will take on either No. 4 seed Wofford, No. 5 seed Chattanooga or No. 8 seed Furman. UNCG took two of three games at Wofford on April 11-12 and won a pair of matchups with Chattanooga on April 25. The Spartans won two games against the Paladins on April 3. Samford secured the No. 2 seed with a win over UNCG on Saturday in the squad’s second game of a doubleheader. After two straight seasons of being the No. 3 seed, the Bulldogs jumped up one spot in the rankings. With the No. 2 seed, Samford earned a bye to Thursday’s action at the tournament and will face either No. 3 seed Western Carolina, No. 6 seed ETSU or No. 7 seed Mercer. The Bulldogs dropped two of three contests versus the Catamounts on April 11-12. Samford took two of three against ETSU on April 23-24, and Mercer on March 21-22. Chattanooga and Furman closed out the regular season facing each other in a three-game series, which ended Sunday. The Mocs won each contest in the series. The two squads will face off Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the first game of the tournament. ETSU takes on Mercer, the defending tournament champion, on Wednesday at 1 p.m. The Bucs and Bears completed a weekend series on Sunday, with ETSU taking two of the three games.  Wofford, the No. 4 seed for the second consecutive tournament, will play the winner of the Chattanooga and Furman at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Western Carolina comes into the tournament as the No. 3 seed. The Catamounts will face the winner of the ETSU and Mercer game at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.   2026 SoCon Softball Championship Chattanooga, Tenn. Wednesday, May 6 Game 1: No. 5 Chattanooga vs. No. 8 Furman, 10 a.m. Game 2: No. 6 ETSU vs. No. 7 Mercer, 1 p.m. Game 3: No. 4 Wofford vs. Game 1 winner, 4 p.m. Game 4: No. 3 Western Carolina vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m.  Thursday, May 7 Game 5: No. 1 UNCG vs. Game 3 winner, 10 a.m. Game 6: No. 2 Samford vs. Game 4 winner, 1 p.m. Game 7: Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 loser, 4 p.m. Game 8: Game 3 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 7 p.m.   Friday, May 8 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 9 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>

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SoCon Softball Championship bracket set

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG infielder Nya South and Samford right-hander Reese Hickey have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from April 20-26. The awards are selected by the league office. South led UNCG to a 3-1 record last week, posting a league-leading 1.873 OPS. In a 5-2 win at Campbell on April 22, the junior had two hits, one of which was a double, one RBI and a run scored. The native of Sanford, North Carolina, hit a 3-run homer in both games of the team’s doubleheader with Chattanooga, helping UNCG to 7-3, and 9-1, victories on April 25. After drawing a walk in the team’s 3-2 setback in the series finale on April 26, South has reached base in 15 straight contests. South is currently in the top 10 in the league in batting average (.386), home runs (15) and RBIs (47). Hickey, who also won the honor on March 30, made two appearances inside the circle for Samford last week. In her first outing, the freshman logged a win out of the bullpen after tossing 4.2 innings, striking out seven batters and allowing one run in a 14-6 win at West Georgia on April 21. Three days later, the product of Atlanta, Georgia, threw a complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits as the Bulldogs topped ETSU, 2-0. UNCG (37-16, 15-3 SoCon) and Samford (25-27, 13-5) will play a weekend series in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 2-3. The series will be the final games of the regular season for both squads. Other nominees for player of the week: Payton Moore (ETSU), Katie Peeler (Furman), Rachel Sysum (Mercer), Abi Bunt (Chattanooga), Tate Stewman (Western Carolina), and Brianna Stanley (Wofford) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Marissa Barnes (ETSU), Kristyn Embler (Furman), Taylor Long (Chattanooga), 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, ETSUMarch 9            Maya McPherson, Jr., 3B, Western CarolinaMarch 16          Avery Barton, Sr., SS, MercerMarch 23          Maya McPherson, Jr., 3B, Western CarolinaMarch 30          Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, SamfordApril 6               Baileigh Pitts, Sr., 1B, ChattanoogaApril 13             Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordApril 20             Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, SamfordApril 27             Nya South, Jr., INF, UNCG 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., UNCGMarch 16          Amanda Fulton, So., Western CarolinaMarch 23          Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 30          Reese Hickey, Fr., SamfordApril 6               Kristyn Embler, Fr., FurmanApril 13             Makinley Turner, So., SamfordApril 20             Makinley Turner, So., SamfordApril 27             Reese Hickey, Fr., Samford</div>

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SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford infielder Katie Campbell and Bulldogs right-hander Makinley Turner have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from April 13-19. The awards are selected by the league office. Campbell, who also won the honor on March 30, helped Samford to a win over then second-ranked Alabama and a series sweep at Furman last week. On April 14, the native of Cape Coral, Florida, hit a game-clinching double to left field in the fifth inning, driving two runs across home plate and putting Samford up, 3-2, which ended up being the final score against Alabama. The Bulldogs’ win over the Crimson Tide marked the program’s first win over their in-state foe in 29 years, and was the highest ranked win for the squad. In a doubleheader at Furman on April 18, the junior had three hits, four RBIs, a walk and a run scored as Samford won the two games by scores of 8-1 and 14-1. In the series finale the next day, Campbell was 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored. Turner, who won the honor for the second straight week, had two victories inside the circle. In the game with Alabama, the junior came in out of the bullpen in the fifth inning with the team down, 2-0. Turner proceeded to throw 2.1 innings, striking out three batters and allowing just two hits. In the 8-1 win over Furman, the product of Thorsby, Alabama, tossed a complete game, logging five strikeouts and allowing zero earned runs. Samford (22-26, 11-4 SoCon) travels to West Georgia on April 21, before heading to ETSU for a weekend series on April 25-26. Other nominees for player of the week: Leinani Lutu (ETSU), Kaylyn Belfield (UNCG), Becka Wonsick (Western Carolina), and Brianna Stanley (Wofford) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Eden Muncy (ETSU), Salem Ward (UNCG), Amanda Fulton (Western Carolina), and Abby Greenwood (Wofford)   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 CarolinaMarch 16          Avery Barton, Sr., SS, MercerMarch 23          Maya McPherson, Jr., 3B, Western CarolinaMarch 30          Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, SamfordApril 6               Baileigh Pitts, Sr., 1B, ChattanoogaApril 13             Brianna Stanley, So., INF, WoffordApril 20             Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, Samford 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., UNCGMarch 16          Amanda Fulton, So., Western CarolinaMarch 23          Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 30          Reese Hickey, Fr., SamfordApril 6               Kristyn Embler, Fr., FurmanApril 13             Makinley Turner, So., SamfordApril 20             Makinley Turner, So., Samford</div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford infielder Brianna Stanley and Samford right-hander Makinley Turner have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from April 6-12. The awards are selected by the league office. Stanley, who won the honor for the third time this season, hit .714 over the weekend against UNCG, along with a two-RBI outing in a 5-2 midweek win at Winthrop last week. In the opening game of the series with the Spartans on April 11, the sophomore was 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and a walk in a 7-3 victory. Later that day, Stanley had a hit and a walk in a 3-1 setback. In the series finale on April 12, the native of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, finished with two hits, two walks and a RBI. Turner had two appearances inside the circle, including one start, last week for Samford. The junior tossed four innings of relief on April 11, striking out a pair of batters in a 2-1 setback. The next day, the product of Thorsby, Alabama, tossed a complete-game shutout, logging eight strikeouts and allowing one hit in a 3-0 win. Wofford (27-12, 5-7 SoCon) plays at USC Upstate on April 15, before traveling to ETSU for a weekend series on April 18-19. Samford (18-26, 8-4) hosts second-ranked Alabama on April 14 and welcomes Furman on April 18-19. Other nominees for player of the week: Sylvia Burroughs (Furman), Avery Bouquin (UNCG), and Ava Cowart (Chattanooga) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Jamison Noonan (Furman), Rhyann Jones (UNCG), and Taylor Long (Chattanooga)   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 CarolinaMarch 16          Avery Barton, Sr., SS, MercerMarch 23          Maya McPherson, Jr., 3B, Western CarolinaMarch 30          Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, SamfordApril 6               Baileigh Pitts, Sr., 1B, ChattanoogaApril 13             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., UNCGMarch 2            Gabrielle Fowler, Jr., ETSUMarch 9            Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 16          Amanda Fulton, So., Western CarolinaMarch 23          Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 30          Reese Hickey, Fr., SamfordApril 6               Kristyn Embler, Fr., FurmanApril 13             Makinley Turner, So., Samford</div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Chattanooga infielder Baileigh Pitts and Furman right-hander Kristyn Embler have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from March 30-April 5. The awards are selected by the league office. Pitts hit .615 over four games as Chattanooga went 3-1 last week. In an 8-7 win over Georgia State on March 31, the senior sparked a seventh-inning rally with a sac fly as the Mocs scored five runs in the frame, sending the game to extras before hitting a walk-off two-run double in the eighth inning. The native of Ringgold, Georgia, had a home run and a RBI single in the team’s 8-0 win over Mercer in the first game of their series against the Bears on April 3. Later that day, Pitts was 2-for-4 with a run scored in a 6-5 10-inning triumph. In the series finale on April 4, Pitts had two hits and a pair of walks in a 5-2 setback versus Mercer. Embler threw a complete-game shutout, striking out two batters and surrendering zero extra base hits in a 3-0 win at UNCG on April 4. The freshman’s performance inside the circle fueled the Paladins’ first conference win of the season and gave the Spartans their first conference defeat of 2026. Along with her strong performance as a pitcher, the native of Harrisburg, North Carolina, drove in the first run of the game on an RBI single in the first inning. Chattanooga (15-21-1, 3-6 SoCon) welcomes ETSU for a weekend series on April 11-12. Furman (6-30, 1-8) hosts a doubleheader against Presbyterian on April 7, before going to Mercer for a series on April 11-12. Other nominees for player of the week: Macy Michael (UNCG), Maya McPherson (Western Carolina), and Brianna Stanley (Wofford) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Taylor Long (Chattanooga), Amanda Fulton (Western Carolina), and Margaret Axelson (Wofford)   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 CarolinaMarch 16          Avery Barton, Sr., SS, MercerMarch 23          Maya McPherson, Jr., 3B, Western CarolinaMarch 30          Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, SamfordApril 6               Baileigh Pitts, Sr., 1B, Chattanooga 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., UNCGMarch 16          Amanda Fulton, So., Western CarolinaMarch 23          Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 30          Reese Hickey, Fr., SamfordApril 6               Kristyn Embler, Fr., Furman</div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford infielder Katie Campbell and Bulldogs right-hander Reese Hickey have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from March 23-29. The awards are selected by the league office. Campbell hit .615 at the plate, leading Samford to a 4-0 record last week. In a 13-0 win at Alabama State on March 24, the junior went 2-for-2 with a double, two walks and two runs scored. Campbell’s best game of the weekend came in the first game of the team’s weekend series against Chattanooga on March 28, when she hit three solo home runs in a 9-4 victory. In the second game of the day, the native of Cape Coral, Florida, had a hit, a walk and an RBI in a 6-5 win. In the series finale, Campbell had two hits, including a three-run home run, as Samford defeated Chattanooga, 10-4, on March 29. Hickey made three appearances inside the circle last week, going 2-0 in those outings while allowing zero runs. The freshman tossed a complete-game shutout versus Alabama State, striking out six batters in the contest. In the team’s 9-4 win against Chattanooga, the product of Atlanta, Georgia, pitch 1.2 innings of relief work, allowing zero hits and striking out one batter. Hickey picked up her second win of the week in the team’s 6-5 win on March 28, entering the game in the second inning with the squad down, 5-0, and logging four strikeouts in the comeback victory. Samford (15-21, 5-1 SoCon) plays at UAB on March 31, before going to Wofford for a weekend series on April 3-4. Other nominees for player of the week: Leinani Lutu (ETSU), Olivia Lenzen (Mercer), Nya South (UNCG), Maya McPherson (Western Carolina), and Brianna Stanley (Wofford) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Eden Muncy (ETSU), Grace Roark (Mercer), Brooklyn Shroyer (UNCG), and Abby Greenwood (Wofford)   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 CarolinaMarch 16          Avery Barton, Sr., SS, MercerMarch 23          Maya McPherson, Jr., 3B, Western CarolinaMarch 30          Katie Campbell, Jr., C/1B, Samford 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., UNCGMarch 16          Amanda Fulton, So., Western CarolinaMarch 23          Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCGMarch 30          Reese Hickey, Fr., Samford</div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina third baseman 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 16-22. The awards are selected by the league office. McPherson, who also won the honor on March 9, led Western Carolina to a SoCon-opening sweep over Furman this past weekend. On March 21, the junior went 2-for-3 with a walk, stolen base, one RBI and a run scored in the team’s 11-7 win in the first game of the series. Later that day, McPherson had a double and a home run as the Catamounts defeated the Paladins, 7-4, in the second game of the day. The native of Lancaster, California, capped the weekend with a 3-for-3 performance, which included two home runs and a stolen base in a 12-2 victory on March 22. McPherson is currently second in the SoCon in batting average (.474). Shroyer, who also won the honor on Feb. 23 and March 9, had two appearances inside the circle, hurling 11 innings for the week. The product of San Dimas, California, threw four innings, striking out four batters in a 8-1 win over Southern Miss on March 18. Three days later, the junior tossed a complete-game shutout in team’s SoCon opener, which was a 4-0 win at ETSU. She finished the game with a season-high 10 strikeouts and walked just one batter. Shroyer currently leads the league in ERA (1.43), innings pitched (93.0) and shutouts (7). Western Carolina (19-9, 3-0 SoCon) hosts USC Upstate for a doubleheader on March 24, before welcoming UNCG (22-12, 3-0) for a weekend series on March 28-29. Other nominees for player of the week: Nya South (UNCG), Joi Hubbard (Samford), Anna Dovey (Chattanooga) and Desirae Devine (Wofford) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Taylor Long (Chattanooga), Amanda Fulton (Western Carolina) and Abby Greenwood (Wofford)   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 CarolinaMarch 16          Avery Barton, Sr., SS, MercerMarch 23          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., UNCGMarch 16          Amanda Fulton, So., Western CarolinaMarch 23          Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., UNCG </div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer shortstop Avery Barton and Western Carolina right-hander Amanda Fulton have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts from March 9-15. The awards are selected by the league office. Barton hit .778 over the weekend for Mercer as the Bears won two of three games played against Bryant. In the series opener on March 13, the senior went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs as Mercer won, 8-6. The next day, the native of Monticello, Georgia, had two hits in the first game of the day’s doubleheader, which was a 6-2 setback for the Bears. In the series finale, Barton hit two solo home runs and drew a bases loaded walk as Mercer won, 8-0, in five innings. Fulton threw 9.1 innings over two appearances inside the circle, logging a win and a save for Western Carolina last week. On March 10, the product of Woodstock, Georgia, tossed a complete game, striking out eight batters and allowing zero earned runs in a 4-1 win over Presbyterian. The sophomore came on in relief the next day in a victory at Queens, throwing the final 2.1 innings to get a save after allowing zero runs and striking out one batter. Fulton is currently third in the SoCon in ERA (2.26). Mercer (12-13) opens its conference slate of games with a series versus Samford on March 21-22. Western Carolina (16-8) hosts 15th-ranked Clemson on March 18, before welcoming Furman on March 21-22. Other nominees for player of the week: Macy Michael (UNCG), Maya McPherson (Western Carolina) and Desirae Devine (Wofford) Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Grace McKillop (Mercer), Brooklyn Shroyer (UNCG) and Abby Greenwood (Wofford)   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 CarolinaMarch 16          Avery Barton, Sr., SS, Mercer 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., UNCGMarch 16          Amanda Fulton, So., Western Carolina</div>

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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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<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>

SoCon Softball News

Headlines

FIRST NCAA WIN! UNCG Shuts Out Clemson, 1-0

UNCG: NCAA TICKET PUNCHED! Softball Shuts Out Samford for SoCon Title

UNCG wins the SoCon Softball Championship

Top two seeds set to face off in the SoCon Softball Championship

Day two of SoCon Softball Championships in the books

Day one of SoCon Softball Championships in the books

Softball Championship Schedule Update

Softball Championship Schedule Update

All-SoCon softball teams announced

SoCon Announces Final Softball Weekly Awards

SoCon Softball Championship bracket set

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

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

SoCon Softball Player, Pitcher of the Week announced

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