GULF SHORES, Ala. - Five home runs highlighted Saturday's games for the No. 7 University of North Georgia softball team as they earned two wins at the Gulf Coast Invitational in Gulf Shores. The Nighthawks needed just five innings to defeat Miles, 20-1, before beating No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne, 5-2, in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
North Georgia found themselves in an early hole after Miles pushed a run across in the first inning, but the bats came alive for UNG after that. The Nighthawks posted three runs in the bottom of the frame on two homers from
Shelby Hammontree and
Kaylyn Anthony to take a 3-1 lead.
The second inning was the best inning for North Georgia offensively as they plated 13 runs on seven hits and two Miles errors. UNG sent 16 batters to the plate in the inning, which was highlighted by
Jordan Deep's two-run homer to left field. The Nighthawks scored four more runs over the third and fourth innings to earn the run-rule win.
Bria Bush earned the win, pitching three innings and striking out three.
GAME TWO
The Nighthawks got out in front first when
Hobby Gregory singled to plate
Lexi Duncan, giving North Georgia a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. L-R answered in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly to tie the game. The Bears took the lead in the bottom of the third on a RBI single to give L-R a 2-1 lead.
North Georgia responded in the fifth inning with a
Sydney Sprague solo shot to right center that tied the game. Two innings later, Sprague homered again, this time to left field, to plate the go-ahead run. UNG put two insurance runs on the board in the frame, and
Kylee Smith shut down the Bears with a strikeout and two groundouts to clince the win.
Smith earned the complete game win, striking out eight Bears in the process.
NOTES
- The Nighthawks scored 20 runs in a game for the first time since February 19, 2017, a 20-4 win over Seton Hill in Dahlonega. The 13-run inning was the most scored in a single inning since a 14-run frame against Georgia Southwestern back on April 12, 2015.
- Sprague's two-homer game was the second multi-homer contest of her career, hitting two bombs back on April 18, 2017, at Montevallo.
- Hammontree went 3-for-5 Saturday with five RBI and four runs scored.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will finish the Gulf Coast Invitational with two games Sunday, starting with a 10 a.m. first pitch against Delta State before a 2:30 p.m. tilt against No. 3 West Florida.