DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The ninth-ranked University of North Georgia softball team used stellar pitching and a solid offensive performance to ease past Georgia Southwestern Friday afternoon at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium, run-ruling the Hurricanes, 8-0, in game one before taking the second game, 7-0. The Nighthawks improve to 38-10 overall on the season and continue to control their own destiny in the race for the PBC title at 17-4 in Peach Belt Conference play.
 
GAME ONE
UNG jumped out to a three-run lead in the first scoring their first run off a squeeze play perfectly executed by Kaylyn Anthony. Shelby Hammontree followed with a two-run double over the head of the centerfielder to give North Georgia the early 3-0 lead.
 
Sydney Sprague sparked another Nighthawk rally in the second with a two-run blast half way up the hill beyond the left field wall. Alishia Frierson and Hammontree both followed with RBI doubles to extend the lead to 7-0. Hammontree would make it a perfect 3-for-3 with a solo homer to center in the fifth to walkoff with the 8-0 run-rule win.
 
Kylee Smith (21-4) went the distance allowing just three baserunners in the contest on two hits and a hit batsman. Smith struck out five.
 
GAME TWO
Anthony drove in the first run of the game for North Georgia in the bottom of the first with an RBI infield groundout. After two quiet innings Hammontree doubled the Nighthawk lead with an RBI single through the left side to put UNG up 2-0.
 
Stephanie Hartness made it a 5-0 lead with her two-run home run to right in the fifth. The Nighthawks added three more in the sixth inning with a Kali Turner RBI single and a pair of bases loaded walks to give the game its final score, 7-0.
 
Bria Bush (8-4) had one of the best outings of her career allowing just three hits in her seven innings of shutout work, throwing just 76 pitches.
 
NOTES
- Shelby Hammontree led the UNG effort at the plate with an impressive 5-for-6 performance on the day that included two doubles, a home run, and five runs batted in.
 
- After going 13 games without a home run, her longest drought of the season, Sydney Sprague has now homered in two of her last three PBC games.
 
- North Georgia improves to 39-8 all-time against Georgia Southwestern with the sweep. UNG has won 19 straight in the series.
 
STAT OF THE DAY
2 – North Georgia's magic number now stands at two to capture at least a share of the Peach Belt Conference regular season championship.
 
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks return to the diamond tomorrow for Senior Day, hosting Columbus State in a doubleheader set for a 2 p.m. start at Hill Stadium.