DAHLONEGA – The No. 1 University of North Georgia softball team swept Augusta in a Sunday Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park with a 12-0 win in game one and a 10-5 win in game two. 

Senior pitcher Kristen Davis pitched 6.1 shutout innings without conceding a walk as she struck out four batters against the Jaguars in game one. Fellow senior pitcher Tybee Denton started in game two for the Nighthawks, allowing three runs in 6.1 innings while striking out nine hitters. 

UNG has now won 15 straight games. The streak is tied for the second longest active win streak in the country among NCAA Division II teams. 

Next on the docket for the Nighthawks is a final game against the Jaguars tomorrow, Monday, Mar. 11 with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.

Game 1: Nighthawks def. Jaguars, 12-0

The Nighthawks got a pair of early runs in the first inning after senior infielder Sophie Mooney stole second base and came around to score as the ball caromed into the outfield. Later in the inning, sophomore infielder Katie Ward scratched across a run as she singled up the middle to make it 2-0. 

Ward had a big day Sunday, riding the momentum of hitting her first career home run on Thursday against Emmanuel.

In the next inning, Ward hit a towering shot to center field, recording her second home run in two games. This one was a three-run shot to score senior outfielder Mariah Wicker and senior catcher Georgia Blair. Ward went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs on the day as her big fly in the second made it a 7-0 game. 

UNG added three more runs in the third inning, sparked by a single from junior outfielder Jolie Lester that brought home freshman outfielder Kaitlyn Johnson. In the next at bat, Mooney tripled to right field to bring Lester home. Mooney went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored in game one.

In a unique situation, Mooney came home to score one batter later as ball four to Blair sailed to the back stop. Mooney raced home while Blair motored to second base to make it 10-0. 

A bases loaded ground ball from Lester in the fourth inning brought two more runs home in the form of sophomore infielder Madison Cosgrove and Johnson. 

Game 2: Nighthawks def. Jaguars, 10-5

It was the Jaguars who scored first in game two against Denton in the circle. A pair of solo home runs from junior infielder Bobbi Poff and senior catcher Paige Patterson gave Augusta an early 2-0 lead.

However, for the 13th time this season, the Nighthawks too scored in the first inning. UNG responded with three runs in the inning thanks to a pair of wild throws from the Jaguars. A sacrifice fly from Blair scored Mooney and Lester made it home on a throwing error. 

Two batters later, after Wicker singled and stole second, Ward grounded the ball to third base. Instead of recording an out, the throw sailed into right field, bringing Wicker home to make it 3-2 early in the game.

Augusta tied the game in the fourth inning on the second solo home run of the day from Patterson. Patterson now has six home runs on the year. Her second of the day against Denton marked the first time in Denton's career that she's allowed three home runs in a game.

Despite the Jaguars' comeback bid, a six run fifth inning after scoring one run in the fourth helped propel UNG to the win.

Senior outfielder Mallory Parker got the scoring started in the fifth with a bases clearing double to score three runs, making it 7-3. 

Then junior infielder Grayson Perry singled to score Parker. After that, junior infielder Rylie Moody launched her first home run of the season to score a pair of runs. 

Augusta would score two more runs in the seventh before the Nighthawks were able to record the final out, earning the 10-5 victory.