PREVIEW: No. 16 Softball Prepares to Host 13 Games on Campus This Weekend

2/12/2020 9:47:00 PM | By: UNG Athletic Communications

Week 3
Southern Wesleyan
Date: February 13, 2020
Time: 2 PM (DH)
Location: Dahlonega, Ga.
Game Coverage: UNG Softball Schedule

The Cottrell Foundation Loyal Blue Classic
Date: February 14-16, 2020
Location: Dahlonega, Ga.
Game Coverage: Tournament Page

Game Preview: The No. 16 University of North Georgia softball team plays six games over this week in Dahlonega, batting Southern Wesleyan and Gannon twice as well as nationally-ranked Southern Indiana and Gannon

Rankings: North Georgia comes into the year at No. 16 in the NFCA preseason top 25 poll, announced earlier this month. Young Harris sits at No. 5. UNG takes on seven teams in the preseason poll this year, including No. 2 Texas A&M - Kingsville in March.

Nighthawks on the Web: Nighthawk fans not able to make it to Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium at Cottrell Park this week can follow along through streaming on YouTube and Facebook, local cable television (Windstream cable channels 78.12 and HD channel 890), live statistics on UNGAthletics.com and on all social media platforms. Links for both games can be found on the softball schedule page. Fans can also follow the action through Twitter by following the softball team (@UNGSoftball).

Last Week: The Nighthawks split last week's games after having Saturday's games snowed out. UNG took down McKendree before falling in a pitcher's duel to Lenoir-Rhyne, 1-0.

Preseason Accolades: UNG takes the top spot in the preseason Peach Belt poll for the fifth year in a row and 10th time since 2009 with six first-place votes and 96 total points. Young Harris took the remaining five first-place votes and 92 total points. Columbus State, Flagler and Georgia College rounded out the top five. In addition, Kylee Smith and Kaylyn Anthony were each named Preseason All-Conference. UNG head coach Mike Davenport was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club's Softball Hall of Fame earlier this month. Davenport currently sports an 860-230 head coaching record, all of which have been at North Georgia. In his 20th year at the helm of the softball program, Davenport has led the Nighthawks to nine Peach Belt regular season and tournament championships, including six straight, as well as 12 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances that includes the 2015 DII National Championship.

Scouting the Opponents: Southern Wesleyan is 2-0 on the young season having beaten NAIA foe Point in a season-opening doubleheader. The Warriors were slated to take on USC Aiken on Tuesday, but it was postponed. SWU was picked fourth in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll after reaching the championship game a year ago. UNG is 19-1 against the Warriors, winning 18 straight. Gannon will open their season this weekend in Dahlonega after being picked first in the West Region of the PSAC. Going 30-16 a year ago, the Knights made it to the NCAA Atlantic Regional, falling in two straight games. This will be the first meeting between the two teams. Southern Indiana comes in ranked No. 21 in the nation and was picked to finish third in the GLVC this year according to the league's preseason coaches' poll. Three time All-American Jennifer Leonhardt will be the go-to pitcher for USI after leading the Screaming Eagles to a national championship two years ago. USI defeated then-No. 1 UNG in the opening game of that tournament in Salem, Virginia, as the No. 8 seed in the field. North Georgia does lead the all-time series, however, 2-1. West Chester comes into the weekend at No. 8 in the NFCA preseason poll and was picked to finish first in the PSAC's East Region. Last season, the Golden Rams made it to the final site of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship, falling in three games. The Nighthawks won the only meeting between the two teams back in Salem in 2018, a 4-0 decision that eliminated West Chester from the tournament.

Smith PBC Player of the Week: Kylee Smith was named Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week on Tuesday, striking out 15 in her lone appearance of the week against Lenoir-Rhyne.

Milestone Watch: With one more win, the UNG softball program will surpass 1,000 program wins since its inception back in 1997. North Georgia has only had one season below .500, the inaugural season.

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