MONTEVALLO, Ala. — Junior Sydney Sprague blasted a pair of two-run homeruns as the No. 9 University of North Georgia softball team raced past Montevallo, 7-0, Tuesday afternoon in the final regular season game in the Peach Belt Conference this year. The Nighthawks wrap up regular season play at 41-10 with the best record in PBC action at 20-4.
 
The victory gives UNG the outright Peach Belt Conference regular season championship, along with the No. 1 seed in the PBC Tournament. The Nighthawks had already clinched a share of their fourth straight PBC crown with Saturday's sweep of Columbus State, but a loss to the Falcons would've split the championship with Armstrong State and UNG would have bumped down to the No. 2 seed at the conference tournament.
 
Lexi Duncan drove in the first run of the game in the top of the second as she drove in Kaylyn Anthony from second with a double into left center to give UNG the early 1-0 lead.
 
Sprague would extend the Nighthawk lead to 3-0 in the third with her two-run shot to left. North Georgia would add one more run later in the inning as Stephanie Hartness came in to score on a throwing error as the Falcons were trying to retire her at second on a fielder's choice. The errant throw made it into the gap in right center allowing Hartness to score easily and put UNG up 4-0.
 
The score would remain the same until the top of the seventh when Sprague struck again, this time sending a two-run bomb over the fence in left center. Hartness would make it back-to-back homer with a solo shot to right to give the game its final 7-0 score.
 
NOTES
- Kylee Smith (24-4) picked up the win in the circle for the Nighthawks, allowing just four hits and a pair of walks in her six innings of work. She struck out four.
 
- Jessica Finch, Stephanie Hartness, and Sydney Sprague led the way at the plate for UNG with two hits each.
 
- The multi-home run game is the first of Sydney Sprague's collegiate career. The junior from Columbus finishes the regular season with 13 home runs, just one shy of the PBC home run crown.
 
- Smith's four strikeouts give her the top spot in the PBC in strikeouts. The freshman phenom was already leading the league in earned run average and wins, giving her a clean sweep in every major pitching category.  
 
- With Kylee Smith claiming the best earned run average in the league (0.98) it marks the fourth consecutive year that a UNG pitcher has sported the league's best ERA.
 
- North Georgia improves to 6-0 all-time against Montevallo with the win.
 
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will begin postseason play on Friday at the Peach Belt Conference Softball Tournament hosted by Georgia College in Milledgeville. North Georgia will face Francis Marion in the last quarterfinal of the night session, which is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch. More information on the PBC Tournament can be found on the official tournament website.