DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The fourth-ranked University of North Georgia softball team opened up Peach Belt Conference play with a doubleheader split against rival-Armstrong State, dropping the first game in extra innings, 3-1, before bouncing back in game two, 7-2. The Nighthawks move to 21-6 on the year and are 1-1 in the PBC after their first two games of league action.
 
GAME ONE
Nine-hole hitter Logan Harrell got the Pirates on the board first with a home run to center. North Georgia would answer in the bottom of the fourth with a bases loaded hit-by-pitch to tie the game at 1-1. UNG still had the bases loaded with just one out by sophomore Jordan Deep lined into a double play to retire the side.
 
The Nighthawks would load the bases in the bottom of the sixth but came up empty once again. After two quick outs in the top of the eighth, Hannah Reppert was hit by a pitch with a 2-2 count and the Pirates would make UNG pay for the freebie, as Autumn Parrish launched a two-run homer to left just two pitches later to put ASU on top 3-1. Although the Nighthawks were able to bring the game-tying run to the plate, they couldn't find an equalizer and fell, 3-1.
 
Kylee Smith (12-2) was tagged with the tough-luck loss allowing the three runs on just five hits. She walked three and struck out eight in her eight innings of work.
 
GAME TWO
Alishia Frierson got UNG off on the right foot in the second game of the twin bill, with her solo blast to left center to give North Georgia an early 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first.
 
Armstrong answered in the top of the third with a Tazha Williams two-run homer to left center to put the Pirates up, 2-1. The Nighthawks would answer the call in the home half of the third though as Frierson plated Stephanie Hartness all the way from first on a standup double off the base of the wall in right center. Kaylyn Anthony followed with a two-run bomb to straight away center to put UNG back on top, 4-2.
 
The Nighthawks would never look back, adding a single run in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings including solo homers by Hartness and Hannah McSwain to give the game its final score, 7-2.
 
Amber Johns (3-1) picked up the complete game win for UNG, scattering six Pirate hits and only allowing one walk while striking out four.
 
NOTES
- Meetings between the Nighthawks and the Pirates have become home run heavy in the last two seasons with all 15 of Armstrong's runs in the past seven games between the two squads coming by way of the home run ball. ASU scored 10 runs, all off of home runs, in five games last season and added five more in today's doubleheader.
 
- Kaylyn Anthony led the Nighthawk effort at the plate with a combined 3-for-6 performance in the two games, that included her two-run homer that gave UNG the momentum they would never relinquish.
 
- UNG had won three-straight conference openers until today's game one loss to Armstrong. North Georgia is now 8-3 all-time in PBC openers.
 
- North Georgia owns a 19-14 all-time advantage over Armstrong State.
 
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will be road warriors for the rest of March with six conference doubleheaders scheduled on the road before returning home on April 1 to face USC Aiken. First up, UNG will take on Montevallo on Saturday, March 11. First pitch for the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. EST.