Game Preview: The No. 3 University of North Georgia softball team prepares for Georgia Southwestern this weekend as part of Cancer Awareness Day sponsored by the UNG Campus Connection Bookstore.
Rankings: UNG is ranked No. 3 in the latest NFCA top 25 poll, announced Wednesday. Other teams from the southeast region that are ranked are No. 18 Lincoln Memorial. Georgia College and Coker are each receiving votes in the poll.
Nighthawks on the Web: Links to Saturday's twinbill can be found above or on the UNG Softball schedule page. Fans can also follow the action through Twitter by following the softball team (@UNGSoftball).
Last Week: The Nighthawks went 4-0 last week, sweeping Lander and Augusta in league play. North Georgia had a run-rule game in each of the two doubleheaders.
PBC Team Stats and Standings: Kylee Smith (0.50) and Laken Chambers (0.92) are first and second in the PBC in ERA while Smith is tied for the league lead in wins with 16. The junior is first in the league in strikeouts with 187. As a team, the Nighthawks have the lowest ERA at 1.20 and have given up the fewest hits and runs in the league. The Nighthawks find themselves in the middle of the league in most of the offensive statistical categories. The Nighthawks currently sit atop the Peach Belt Conference standings with a one-game lead over Georgia College. North Georgia's magic number for clinching a spot in the conference tournament is five.
Scouting the Opponent: Georgia Southwestern is 22-16 on the year and 6-2 in league play, two games back of North Georgia in the PBC standings. The 'Canes just snapped a four-game losing streak with a doubleheader sweep of Albany State on Wednesday. North Georgia is 42-8 against the Hurricanes all-time. The Nighthawks have won 22 straight over GSW, including all three matchups a year ago.
Smith Accolades: Kylee Smith was named both the Peach Belt Conference and NFCA National Pitcher of the Week this week by the respective association's offices. Smith, who hails from Suwanee, Georgia, posted a 3-0 mark and twirled 19 scoreless innings last week for the Nighthawks. The junior righty recorded three shutouts, struck out 26, walked three and held her opponents to a .095 batting average. Smith fanned 14 in a two-hit shutout of Augusta. She tossed a one-hit blanking of Lander in a five-inning win. The Peach Belt Pitcher of the Week also held Lee to three hits and struck out eight in a 3-0 win. It marks the first weekly award this season and the third in Smith's career.
PBC Standings: The Nighthawks currently sit in second place in the league standings, one game back of Flagler, who has played two fewer games.
