DAHLONEGA | The seventh-ranked University of North Georgia softball team swept Belmont Abbey, 8-0 and 3-0, in its final non-conference games of the regular season Wednesday evening at Haines and Carolyn Hill Stadium. The Nighthawks improve to 39-6 on the season with the pair of victories.
GAME ONE
UNG took advantage of a rough start in the circle by BAC’s Samantha Jacobs, picking up two walks and a hit by pitch to load the bases with one out. Stephanie Hartness got the Nighthawks on the board scoring on a wild pitch. After Meredith Heyer earned a base on balls, Katie Block picked up an RBI walk to plate another run. Alexis Collis then came through with a two-run single up the middle to give North Georgia a 4-0 lead.
Hartness extended the UNG lead to 7-0 with her three-run homer to center in the second. The Nighthawks got the coveted eighth run on a Kaycie Oakley double down the left field line that scored Katie Block in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.
GAME TWO
After the offensive onslaught in the first game, runs came at a premium for the Nighthawks in the second game of the twin bill. Katie Block scored the first run of the game with a solo blast to center in the bottom of the second.
The 1-0 score held until the bottom of the fifth when North Georgia took advantage of a Belmont Abbey error to score two more runs. A Brittani Crawford groundout to third allowed Meagan May to score from third and then Meredith Heyerdeposited an RBI single to center that plated Whitney Worth from second, giving the Nighthawks the 3-0 lead that proved final.
NOTES
– Courtney Poole (38-2) picked up both victories on the night allowing just a total of three hits in 11.0 innings while striking out 15. Macy Watkins made her first appearance in just over a month pitching a near perfect inning in the final frame of the first game, allowing just one walk without surrendering a hit.
– UNG showed some power at the plate tonight with a pair of doubles and a home run in each game. Stephanie Hartnessand Katie Block both hit their fourth home run of the season.
– North Georgia finishes non-conference play with a 24-5 mark against non-conference foes.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will hit the road for their last road trip of the regular season, with a Friday (April 8) doubleheader at Lander before traveling to USC Aiken for a twin bill on Sunday (April 10). Friday’s games at Lander are scheduled for a 4 p.m. start.
