DAHLONEGA — Kylee Smith's no-hitter in the first game of the doubleheader highlighted the No. 2 University of North Georgia's pitching staff's dominance in the Nighthawks' doubleheader sweep over the Augusta Jaguars Wednesday afternoon at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium, winning game one, 6-0 before a 4-0 win in the second half of the twinbill.
 
GAME ONE
RHP Kylee Smith's outstanding performance in the circle lead the Nighthawks to victory with her second career no-hitter, striking out 15 batters. She struck out all Augusta hitters at least once in the contest, issued no walks and hit just one batter in the seven innings.
 
North Georgia was first on the board in the second. Lexi Duncan's infield single put a runner on board for Alishia Frierson, who blasted a two-run homer over the right center wall, her fifth of the season, to put the Nighthawks up, 2-0. A liner up the middle from Hobby Gregory would score Brittany Gilliam, who reached on a walk, to tack on an extra run later in the frame.
 
The Jaguars went three-up and three-down in strikeouts issued by Smith in the third, while the Nighthawk offense continued to hammer away at the plate. Kaylyn Anthony lead off with a ground single past the shortstop. Shelby Hammontree came behind her with a liner to left, putting runners in scoring position for Frierson who brought Anthony home off a ground-burner to left, 4-0.
 
Anthony's RBI double to left center in the fourth extended the Nighthawk lead to 6-0. Smith continued her strikeout rampage for the remainder of the game to secure the win.
 
GAME TWO
North Georgia bats continued to put pressure on the Augusta defense, as the Nighthawks were first on the board again in the second. Duncan got the rally started with a single to left and heads up base-running to put herself in scoring position for Gilliam, who was able to put the ball in play for Duncan to score. Jordan Deep then went yard with a shot over the scoreboard to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
Duncan put up a RBI triple in the third to tack on a security run for UNG, prompting the Jaguars to fight back in the fourth with a single to left from Lindsey Stokes, AU's first hit of the afternoon. Augusta laced together two more hits in the fifth and sixth frames, but were unable to push a run across.
 
Strong base-running from pinch-runner Allison Neely followed by a RBI single from Brittany Gilliam insured the 4-0 Nighthawk win and doubleheader sweep.
 
NOTES
- Anthony went 4-for-7 on the day with two singles, a double, a triple, and a RBI; Frierson went 2-for-5 with a single, a homerun, and three RBI; and Duncan went 3-for-4 with two singles, a triple, and a RBI.
 
- The UNG pitching staff had a total of 24 strikeouts and only issued one walk and three hits.
 
- Between games the players and coaches honored their friends and family who are survivors of and currently fighting cancer. The ceremony was held on the field, and players released balloons in honor of their loved ones.
 
NEXT UP
North Georgia will briefly step out of conference play in a doubleheader against Southern Wesleyan Wednesday at The Hill. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.