WILSON – Senior Holly Berry and sophomore Brea Hartley used their last opportunity of the season to drill home runs in the final game of the series with Barton as the UNCP softball team finished its final game of the 2013 with a 7-3 victory over the Bulldogs on Wednesday.

Hartley finished the contest with a blast over left center field in the fifth and a double in the seventh to combine for two RBI and two runs, while seven other Lady Braves (23-32) each added one hit to combine for nine UNCP hits. Barton (12-26) was led by Liz White and Emily Leagon with two hits each, while Leagon posted the Bulldogs' only RBI.

Senior Starr Gilley (10-11) notched her ninth complete game after going all seven innings in the middle for UNCP as she dished out a season best 10 strikeouts. The Graham native gave up three runs (one earned) on six hits and only walked three of the 31 batters faced as she threw 120 pitches during the game. White (4-10) also went all seven innings and allowed seven runs (five earned) on nine hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

The Lady Braves controlled the lead from the start of the first inning as sophomore Kaytee Wilson doubled to left field in her first at-bat and scored to put UNCP up 1-0 on a groundout by freshman Caitlin Steel to the second baseman.

Senior Kellie Van Dyke used a single to left field to reach first and with a triple by freshman Sequoia Barrett to centerfield, Van Dyke crossed home plate for Barrett's RBI in the fourth inning. Hartley registered a leadoff homer in the fifth inning over left center field for the UNCP three-run lead.

In the fifth inning, Barton cut UNCP's lead with two runs reaching on a walk and error, and scoring on a single and wild pitch, but the seventh inning provided the Black and Gold with four runs to stretch the lead to 7-2.

Freshman Whitney Jackson led off the seventh inning with a single to left field and was brought home on Hartley's double along the left field line. Berry brought home Hartley on her homer  to the same location, and benefiting from an error on Barton, freshman Caitlin Steel reached first, stole second and was brought home on Karlee Wilson's single to left center.

The Bulldogs struggled to catch up, but managed one run in the final half inning as Samantha Bass single and scored on a wild pitch. Despite the effort of Barton, the Lady Braves closed out the series with the sweep and finished the season with a three-game winning streak.