CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Samford softball team faced off against UNCG this morning in a semifinal matchup at the Southern Conference Tournament. In a game between the top two seeds in the tournament, the Spartans shut down the Bulldog bats as Samford fell 5-0. The Dogs will be back in action this afternoon when they face the winner of the Wofford and Chattanooga game.
Samford turned to Makinley Turner in the circle to build on the momentum of their opening-round win. However, UNCG struck first when they hit a solo home run to center in the bottom of the first inning, immediately putting the Bulldogs in an early hole. Turner settled into the game as she struck out the side in the second, but the Bulldog bats struggled to get anything going. The Dogs got just three baserunners on the day and one hit when Katie Hart singled in the third inning.
UNCG added to its lead in the third, capitalizing on an error and a bases-loaded walk to push the score to 2-0 before hitting a solo homer to add to their advantage over the Bulldogs. Samford’s best chance came in the fifth inning when they got runners aboard with an error and a walk. However, they failed in an attempt to bunt the runners over as they popped out before standing a pair.
Claire McArthur entered to throw the final two frames for the Dogs. She surrendered two runs after a hit by pitch, and a walk came in to score on a double in the fifth. She retired the side in order in the sixth with some help from stellar middle infield defense, but the Samford bats remained quiet as they fell 5-0.
The Dogs will be back in action this afternoon at 3 p.m. A victory would have them advance to a championship game against the Spartans tomorrow morning, and a defeat would end their SoCon Tournament.
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