DAHLONEGA - Marley Stowers kicked off a six-run first inning with an inside-the-park homer to center field as the No. 1 University of North Georgia softball team cruised to a 8-0 five inning win over Georgia Southwestern Friday afternoon in the Peach Belt Conference quarterfinals.

With one out in the bottom of the first, Stowers crushed a 1-1 pitch to center, hitting off the top of the wall and ricocheting around long enough for Stowers to circle the bases and put North Georgia up, 1-0. After a second out, Shelby Hammontree plated two more runs off a double to center and then scored herself on a Lexi Duncan double. 

Duncan scored on a throwing error after stealing third to give the Nighthawks a 5-0 lead before Sydney Sprague doubled to score Jordan Deep and give UNG a 6-0 lead after one inning of play.

From there, Georgia Southwestern settled down, allowing just one North Georgia hit until the fifth inning. The Nighthawks opened the inning with back-to-back singles, putting two on for Duncan. The left fielder bunted to advance the runners, but a GSW error allowed the two runners to score, ending the game in five innings.

NOTES
- Amber Johns (18-0) earned the win, throwing a complete game. She gave up just two hits and three walks while striking out eight.

- Hammontree finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI to lead the Nighthawks at the plate.

- With the win, North Georgia ties a program record for wins in a single season (54). The Nighthawks have won 54 games in a single season twice in history, going 54-8 in 2015 and 2016.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will take on Lander tomorrow afternoon at 12:30 p.m. in the PBC semifinals. The winner of that game will take on the winner of Georgia College and Columbus State in the championship game tomorrow at 3 p.m.