DAHLONEGA – The No. 1 University of North Georgia softball team survived a comeback effort from USC Beaufort in a thrilling 4-3 Peach Belt Conference victory Sunday afternoon. The win extends UNG's win streak to eight consecutive games and overall record to 16-2 as it keeps the Nighthawks undefeated in Peach Belt play at 3-0 after the sweep.
UNG had a golden opportunity to get on the board early in the game after junior outfielder Jolie Lester and senior outfielder Mariah Wicker each reached base to start the game. Lester singled to center while Wicker beat out a drag bunt at first base.
The Nighthawks had their best hitter in senior infielder Sophie Mooney at the plate, but Mooney ripped a liner directly into the glove of Sand Shark junior first baseman Makenzie Fore who turned around and stepped on the bag for a double play as Wicker had taken off towards second base.
UNG would still be the first on the scoreboard in the third inning.
Junior shortstop Rylie Moody placed a one-out single into center field. Lester followed with a double to the wall in center, putting herself and Moody in scoring position for Wicker.
On a 1-2 count, Wicker ripped a double off the top of the wall in left field that easily scored two runs. The extra base knock was Wicker's sixth double of the season and gave her double-digit RBIs with 10 this season.
The Nighthawks extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning when redshirt freshman second baseman Tagen Levao-Maisonet lined a single into right field, scoring sophomore outfielder Caroline Branch from second base.
Beaufort got its first run of the game after junior second baseman Jaden Goodwin bounced into a double play with the bases loaded, scoring pinch runner Jaci Coleman.
Coleman was a key pinch runner, after she was placed on the base paths in place of Fore who walked to lead off the fifth inning. That substitution would become the headline of the game in the next inning.
Trailing 3-1 in the top of the sixth inning, senior shortstop Devon Weller led off the inning with a solo home run, her third of the season, to make it 3-2.
A UNG error, a Sand Shark single and a sacrifice bunt from freshman Caleigh Eubanks put the tying and go-ahead runs at third and second base as Fore came back up to bat.
Fore grounded a single up the middle that scored one run easily. Junior catcher Addie Reynolds raced home and leaped over Nighthawk senior catcher Georgia Blair, landing on home plate to give Beaufort a 4-3 lead. There was only one issue. Fore, who was pinch run for by Coleman the inning prior, was not re-entered by Sand Shark head coach Codee Yeske.
Davenport disputed the at bat with the home plate umpire. After a lengthy discussion, it was ruled that Fore batted illegally after not being re-entered. The result was that Fore was ruled out and the at bat did not count in its entirety, thus removing the two runs off the board for Beaufort. The game returned to a 3-2 score with freshman outfielder Saria Simmons at the plate who grounded out to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, Lester added a key insurance run for the Nighthawks. With her fourth hit of the day, a single through the left side, Lester plated Levao-Maisonet to make it a 4-2 ball game.
The insurance run paid dividends for UNG as the Sand Sharks scored a run thanks to Weller again in the top of the seventh.
After Goodwin reached on a fielder's choice, Weller lined a two-out single into right field, scoring Goodwin.
Down to the last out, sophomore designated player Taelor Chang stepped up to the plate. Chang followed in Weller's footsteps by roping a base hit to right field, this time deep and into the corner.
Wicker picked up the ball for UNG and threw it in swiftly as Weller, representing the tying run, was racing around the bases. The throw was cut off by sophomore first baseman Marycille Brumby.
Brumby turned and saw Weller bounding for home plate after getting the green light from Yeske. She gunned a throw directly into the glove of the catcher Blair, who applied the tag on Weller before she could touch the plate.
The home plate umpire went down with a fist and the Nighthawk bench erupted, spilling out onto the field to celebrate a sweep in the conference-opening series.
UNG now returns to non-conference action at home on Wednesday, Feb. 28 as the Nighthawks welcome Alabama-Huntsville to Haines and Carolyn Hill Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park for a double header. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 12 p.m. as the game will be broadcast live on the Nighthawk Sports Network.
