DAHLONEGA | The No. 6 University of North Georgia softball team raced past Limestone, 6-0, in opening round action of the 2015 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Friday night at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
Three consecutive walks to open the bottom of the first all ended up coming around to touch home plate as the Nighthawks took the early 3-0 lead. A two-RBI single through the right side by designated player Ansley Phillips followed by a two-out, infield hit by third baseman Katie Block plated all three UNG runs.
North Georgia came right back in the second inning to load the bases again, but this time Limestone escaped unscathed.
UNG came back once more in the fourth frame to load the bases on one out. Phillips then earned her second RBI of the game when she grounded out to second base to plate leftfielder Meagan May.
The bottom of the sixth saw the Nighthawks use an error and a pair of infield hits to plate two more to stretch its lead to 6-0.
Poole (38-3) picked up the win for North Georgia by pitching the six scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts and just three hits. Megan Stover closed out the final frame while allowing a hit.
Offensively, May, Phillips and Block each posted multiple-hit evenings.
Josie Weber fell to 17-4 on the season as she allowed four runs on seven hits in four innings of work. Carson pitched the final two innings while allowing two runs, both unearned, on four hits.
Limestone, the automatic qualifier from Conference Carolinas, falls to 28-14 on the season.
North Georgia (45-7) advances to face fourth-seeded Catawba in tomorrow’s first game with first pitch set for 12:00 noon.