DAHLONEGA | The eighth-ranked University of North Georgia softball team swept Friday’s doubleheader against Lander, 3-0 and 7-3. The Nighthawks are now 29-5 on the year and maintain first-place in the Peach Belt with a 10-0 league record.
Junior ace Courtney Poole picked up both wins on the day to improve her record to 23-1 this season. Poole allowed just three hits in the combined 11 shutout innings, recording 13 strikeouts without issuing a walk.
Game One
The Nighthawks scored three runs on just one hit in the first game of the day, taking advantage of free passes that turned into runs in three innings. In the bottom of the first Meagan May reached on a hit by pitch and went from first to third on a single off the left field wall by Kim McMillan. Ansley Phillips would walk to load the bases with just one out, but UNG could only muster one run on a sacrifice fly to right by Jessica Finch to score May.
After blasting a ball over the left field foul pole that was controversially ruled foul, Katie Block reached base on a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Victoria Prince popped up in foul ground to the catcher, the Lander catcher made a snap through into right center trying to catch Block out at second but it would prove costly as Block was able to come in to score from second on the throwing error.
Tiffanie Burns started out the sixth with a leadoff walk and then stole second. Burns moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt from Phillips. The UNG shortstop then came in to score on a sacrifice fly to right by Finch, giving the Hawks the 3-0 lead that proved final.
Game Two
North Georgia saw the bats heat up in the second game of the day. Burns started thing out with a towering two-run home run to left center to score herself and McMillan who had walked earlier in the inning.
The Nighthawks plated two more runs in the second inning as May drove in two with a two-out single through the left side, putting UNG up 4-0.
Burns added another run for North Georgia in the fifth, drawing a two-out walk and then stole second. She came home to score on Phillips’ RBI single to left center. Block added another run in the bottom of the sixth with her first homer of the season, soaring over the centerfield wall.
Alexis Collis drove in the seventh run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right scoring Prince from third, putting the Hawks up 7-1.
Meagan Stover pitched the final 3.0 innings of the game, picking up the three-inning save, her first of the season.
Next Up
The Nighthawks have a quick turnaround heading to Montevallo to take on the first-year Falcons program in a doubleheader that was originally scheduled for last Tuesday but pushed back due to inclement weather. First pitch Saturday is set for 4 p.m. CDT.