Greensboro, N.C. -- Stephanie Bryden limited Furman to one run in the circle and recorded two hits to lead UNCG past Furman, 4-1, in the Southern Conference softball opener for both schools on Saturday at UNCG Softball Stadium.

The loss snapped Furman's six-game winning streak and dropped the Paladins to 24-7 overall and 0-1 in the SoCon.

Furman took the lead in the top of the third inning as Lauren Duggar tripled to open the frame and scored on Lindsey Bert's two-out, RBI single through the left side. UNCG answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Marisa Sholtes reached on a leadoff single, moved to second base on a sacrifice and scored the tying run on Makenna Matthijs' RBI double. After an error by Bert and a strikeout, Rebecca Kale delivered a two-out, RBI single to plate Matthijs and give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.

UNCG (22-7, 1-0 SoCon) increased its lead in the bottom of the sixth. Bryden doubled to start the inning, her third hit of the game. After Bert fanned the next two batters, Rachael McClaskey belted a two-run homer to right field to up the UNCG advantage to 4-1.

In the top of the seventh, AnnaRose Borrelli worked a leadoff walk and Emma Ogburn was hit by a pitch to start a potential Furman rally. Alicia Bazonski came out of the bullpen to induce a pair of fielder choice grounders to force out runners at third base before hitting Caroline Cash to load the bases with two outs. Bazonski settled down to get Candace Johnson to pop up to second base to end the game.

Bryden (10-2) picked up the win for the Spartans after allowing just one run on five hits in six-plus innings of work. She walked two and fanned eight Paladins. Bazonski earned her first save of the season by retiring three of the four batters she faced in the seventh.

Bert (15-5) took the loss for the Paladins. The left-hander matched a career-high with 12 strikeouts and did not walk a batter in six innings of work, but she allowed four runs on nine hits.

Bryden finished 2-for-3 with a double, while McClaskey went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run for the Spartans. Duggar doubled and homered in four trips to the plate for the Paladins.

The second game of the day was postponed by rain and will be played as part of a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday at UNCG Softball Stadium. Log onto FurmanPaladins.com for links to live statistics and video.