(CHATTANOOGA) – In the NCAA Division II National Championship series, the No. 2 University of North Georgia softball team will face off against eighth-ranked Grand Valley State tomorrow, (May 30) in Frost Stadium at Warner Park at 12:00 p.m.

#8 Grand Valley State (47-6)
GVSU has returned to the final eight for the third time in the past four years. They are led by ace Hannah Beatus inside the circle, who went the distance in both victories over UIndy in the Super Regional, improving to 30-1 on the season with a 0.83 ERA and 216 strikeouts in 193.2 innings pitched while in Chattanooga. Her last loss came on March 5, pitching a complete game, striking out nine, and walking none while allowing just two hits and one unearned run in a 1-0 loss to St. Cloud State.

At the plate, the Lakers are led by Lydia Goble as the redshirt senior from Schoolcraft, Michigan boasts a .465 batting average, scoring 49 times while driving in 57 runs on 80 hits. The Lakers rolled through their conference schedule, falling just once on April 28th to Purdue Northwest 5-1.

GVSU has allowed just ten runs in eight games since beginning their regional, playing the minimum number of games required after going 3-0 in regional play, 2-0 in super regional play, and 3-0 in Chattanooga this week. The Lakers have played two common opponents with the Nighthawks in their three games at the NCAA Softball DII Championship, defeating Wilmington 10-2, before earning wins against UT Tyler 2-1 and Central Oklahoma 3-2.

#2 North Georgia (62-7)
After two straight appearances in the NCAA DII Softball Championship, the third time was the charm as the Nighthawks enter the National Championship series for the first time since winning it all in 2015.

The Nighthawks have reached the championship series with a different style than in 2015, having eight different batters hold batting averages over. 300 while boasting the deepest pitching staff in the country, with four different pitchers recording 75 or more innings.

At the plate, the Nighthawks have been anchored by the bats of Sophie Mooney and Hannah Forehand in Chattanooga, as the duo in the third and fourth spot in the order have accounted for eight of the 15 RBIs in their first four games this week.

Tybee Denton and Kristen Davis have had lights-out performances in four games played, with Mooney joining in with another successful performance in relief. Denton opened up the week with a complete game three-hit performance, while Mooney was critical in the second game, throwing three and one-third innings in relief, allowing just one hit and no runs. Davis sent the Nighthawks to the championship series in her second appearance of the week, throwing a complete game shutout to defeat UT Tyler 2-0.

The Numbers
North Georgia –  Ranks top 10 in nine statistical categories nationally, ranking first in hits and runs, second in doubles, third in W/L percentage and shutouts, fourth in scoring, fifth in batting average and on base percentage, eighth in total stolen bases and tenth in hit by pitch.

Grand Valley State – Ranks top 10 in seven categories nationally, ranking first in fielding percentage and sacrifice flies, fifth in W/L percentage and WHIP and seventh in shutouts and ERA and tenth in batting average.