MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The eighth-ranked University of North Georgia softball team scored six unanswered runs to post a 6-1 win over Francis Marion on Friday evening in quarterfinal action of the 2017 Peach Belt Conference Tournament.

North Georgia improves to 42-10 on the year with the win and will now face fourth-seeded Young Harris tomorrow (Apr. 22) at 12:30 p.m.
 
Francis Marion, the tournament's eighth seed, grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with an unearned run off of a Nighthawk throwing error.
 
The top-seeded Nighthawks knotted the score with a second-inning run on a RBI-single by Jessica Finch.
 
Stephanie Hartness launched a two-run homer over the right field fence with two down in the bottom of the fifth to give the Nighthawks a lead they would never relinquish.
 
North Georgia added three insurance runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run double by Finch.
 
NOTES

- Kylee Smith (25-4) earned the win in the circle for North Georgia as the freshman struck out 14 in 6.2 innings, while allowing only three hits.

- Finch knocked in half of the Nighthawks' six runs as the three-RBI game was her third of the season and first since a Feb. 10 win over McKendree.  She was the lone UNG player to record multiple hits as she finished the night a perfect 2-for-2 from the plate.

- All four top seeds advanced to tomorrow's semifinal round. Second-seeded Armstrong State will take on third-seeded Flagler at 10:00 a.m.  The championship game is set for 3:30 p.m. at GC's Peeler Complex.