AMERICUS, Ga. – The No. 1 University of North Georgia softball team got back to its winning ways with a three-game Peach Belt Conference sweep over Georgia Southwestern on Saturday. 

The first game of the three-game set was paused in the fourth inning Friday due to heavy rain. UNG led 1-0 before the stoppage. The two teams resumed Saturday afternoon before finishing the scheduled doubleheader. The Nighthawks won a thrilling 6-4 game in the first contest, prevailing in extra innings for the victory. Games two and three were much easier for head coach Mike Davenport's team as UNG topped the Hurricanes 14-5 in game two and 11-3 in the finale.

Now the Nighthawks will return home for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, Mar. 19 against Montevallo. First pitch from Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park is set for 3 p.m. in game one, game two will follow at 5 p.m.

Game 1: Nighthawks def. Hurricanes, 6-4 (8 Inn.)

The lone Nighthawk run before game one's postponement came on a solo home run from senior catcher Georgia Blair as she blasted her sixth bomb of the year over the center field wall. 

Resuming the game on Saturday, GSW took advantage by tying the game in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single from senior outfielder Hailey Pinette.

It was Blair doing damage again in the sixth to give UNG the lead as she doubled to right center to score senior outfielder Mariah Wicker. 

Pinette responded yet again in the bottom half of the inning by launching her sixth home run of the season. This time it was a two-run shot to give GSW the late lead. 

In the seventh inning, trailing by a run, UNG led things off with a walk from senior outfielder Mallory Parker. Junior infielder Grayson Perry followed with a pinch-hit double to put runners on second and third with no outs. It was then that sophomore first baseman Marycille Brumby grounded into a fielder's choice as the Hurricanes made a clutch play to cut down Parker as she tried to tie the game from the third. 

Still, UNG was able to tie things up with one out in the seventh. 

Senior infielder Gracie Mixson struck out swinging, but the ball got away from the GSW catcher, allowing Perry to score from the third and tie the game. 

In the eighth inning, senior infielder Sophie Mooney led the Nighthawks off with a double to right, later advancing to third on a passed ball. She would score to take a 4-3 lead after a subsequent single from Wicker. Then, redshirt freshman infielder Tagen Levao-Maisonet came up big after she was given a second chance in her at bat. As Levao-Maisonet popped the ball up above home plate, it appeared the Hurricanes would get out of the inning only allowing one run. Instead, GSW senior catcher Ansley Duffey dropped the foul ball, allowing Levao-Maisonet to dig back in. 

She made the error matter by rifling a single from right center to score two runs and make it 6-3. 

The error proved costly as the Hurricanes added another run to their total in the eighth inning, but couldn't muster a full comeback as they fell by two runs.

Game 2: Nighthawks def. Hurricanes, 14-5 (5 Inn.)

In game two, UNG fell behind 4-1 early, but a five-run fourth inning and an eight-run fifth inning aided in the dominant come back win. 

Sophomore infielder Katie Ward's powerful bat led the charge in the Nighthawks' big offensive day. She sparked the rally with a lead off solo home run in the fourth inning to make it 4-2. 

A three-run blast from junior infielder Rylie Moody gave UNG the lead at 6-4 before ending the top of the fourth.

Then in the lead off spot again. Ward blasted another home run in the fifth inning. Parker followed with a solo shot of her own. Mixson belted her first of the year three batters later to tack on another three runs. Ward came back up later in the fifth inning, this time looking at a 12-4 lead on the scoreboard. With two outs and a runner on second base, Ward went back for more.  She mashed her third home run of the game and second of the inning over the center field wall to make it a 14-4 game. 

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Ward's performance is that nine days ago she had a career home run total of zero. In eight games since then, she's launched five home runs which now ranks second on the team. 

While Ward does not yet meet the minimum requirements of two PA/game and having played in 75 percent of games this year, her .774 slugging percentage would be first on the team this season. 

Her three home runs Saturday are the most of any Nighthawk in a single game this season. 

Game 3: Nighthawks def. Hurricanes, 11-3 (5 Inn.)

In the series finale, UNG jumped out to an early 6-0 lead by the third inning thanks in part to a grand slam from Mixson. 

The long ball was Mixson's second of the day and of the season. She would come up again with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, this time working a walk for another RBI to make it 7-0. In the three games against GSW, Mixson went 4-for-8 with a whopping 10 RBIs on two home runs and a double. 

It was Mooney's turn to join the home run party as she launched her second long ball of the year in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 9-3. 

UNG would tack on a pair of runs later in the fifth to help the game to its final score of 11-3. 

In total over the three games, senior pitcher Kristen Davis picked up a pair of wins in games one and three to move her record this season to 12-1. Fellow senior pitcher Tybee Denton snagged the win in game two as she moved to 13-1 on the year.