MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 1 University of North Georgia softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with No. 17 Auburn Montgomery Tuesday.

A low scoring affair in both games, the Nighthawks won the first game 2-1, then dropped the second game 3-1, snapping an 18-game win streak and marking their first loss since Feb. 17. It's also the first and only loss this season UNG has suffered by more than one run. 

After schedule changes forced some delays in the previous series, the pair of games with the Warhawks Tuesday served as UNG's fourth and fifth games in a matter of 72 hours. 

Next the Nighthawks continue on the road and back into conference play with a three-game set at Georgia Southwestern. Friday's game opens the series before a Saturday doubleheader. On Friday, first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Americus, Ga. 

Game 1: Nighthawks def. Warhawks, 2-1

It wasn't until junior infielder Rylie Moody doubled to right center field in the very last inning that either team saw offense in the game. 

Senior pitcher Tybee Denton faced off against Warhawk graduate pitcher Alana Goble in the circle. 

The two each went seven complete innings, allowing a total of just three runs on nine hits. 

Denton walked six batters but was able to keep most of them from scoring with nine strikeouts. Friday marks her second consecutive and seventh overall outing this year with nine or more strikeouts. 

Meanwhile Goble was near flawless on the other side. She did not allow a walk all game while striking out a season high 10 hitters. Goble sent the first seven batters down in order by way of the K with five swings and misses. 

She took a perfect game into the fourth inning until junior outfielder Jolie Lester reached on an infield error. The no-hit bid was revoked one at bat later when senior Sophie Mooney reached on an infield single. 

The two pitchers dueled, working out of various jams all the way into the final seventh. 

It was there in the top of the seventh that senior outfielder Mallory Parker got things started with a one-out single. Goble got a foul out in the next at bat, bringing senior infielder Gracie Mixson to bat with two outs. 

In the clutch, Mixson singled down the right field line to keep the inning alive, sending Parker to third. It was then that Moody doubled to bring home both runs. The inning ended as Moody tried to stretch the two-bagger into a triple.

In the bottom half, Auburn Montgomery brought the tying run to the plate after sophomore outfielder Chloe Baynes reached on a bunt single. Junior outfielder Haley Ann Frank then doubled to right center, but the speedy Baynes got the stop sign at third base from head coach Scottie Wilkes. 

Baynes was brought home on a sacrifice fly the next at bat. 

With the tying run lurking in scoring position at second base, Denton needed one out to keep the win streak alive. She got it, recording her final strikeout of the day as senior utility player Kat Fallen whiffed on the pitch to end the game. 

Game 2: Warhawks def. Nighthawks, 3-1

Game two saw just as good a pitching duel as its predecessor. 

Nighthawk senior Kristen Davis battled with Warhawk senior Brinkley Yevak as the runs came earlier in the game but were still scarce. 

Davis totaled six innings in the circle with three runs (one earned) on just five hits. She did not walk a batter and struck out four. Yevak countered only allowing one run on four hits with four strikeouts as well. 

As has been the case in almost every game this season, UNG got on the board first in the third inning. In fact, of their 28 games played this year, the Nighthawks have scored first in 22 of them, holding a 20-2 record in such contests. 

It was a Georgia Blair, two-out double to score Mixson that got the scoring started for UNG in the third. The senior catcher has been a team leader in all facets this year, especially on offense. 

While having the second most at bats of anybody on the team, Blair leads her squad in home runs (5), RBIs (27), total bases (49) and walks (12). 

Yet, Auburn Montgomery responded with three runs in the fourth inning. 

With one out and a runner on first, an error from the shortstop Moody allowed Fallen to reach first and sent graduate first baseman Molly Cobb over to third. A single in the next at bat scored both runners to make it a 2-1 ball game. 

The Warhawks added an insurance run after a double steal led to throwing an error from Blair to bring home another run. 

UNG had its best opportunity to get back in the game in the top of the sixth. With two on and only one out, junior infielder Grayson Perry was at the dish. She lined the ball off her bat directly into the glove of Auburn Montgomery senior shortstop Gia Martin. 

Seeing Mooney off the bag at second base, Martin turned and threw to freshman Arianna Machado who beat Mooney back in a close play to end the inning. 

The Nighthawks would not get another base runner in the seventh, suffering their third loss of the season.