GULF SHORES, Ala. – The No. 8 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team collected two wins in the Gulf Shores Invitational against Florida Tech and Barry on Saturday.
The wins mark the first ever victories of the
Brooke O'Hair era and move the Nighthawks to 2-1 so far this season.
UNG will conclude its appearance in Gulf Shores, Ala. tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 2 with a 10:30 a.m. contest against Union.
Game 1: Nighthawks def. Panthers, 4-3
The Nighthawk offense came to life in the team's first game of day two of the Gulf Shores Invitational.
In the bottom of the second inning, freshman catcher got things started with a one-out single before redshirt sophomore
Tagen Levao-Maisonet reached base on a four pitch walk.
Those at bats gave way to senior shortstop
Rylie Moody who pounded a triple to right center to score both of her teammates and give UNG an early 2-0 lead.
Moody was brought home in the next at bat by senior utility player
Angelina Badalament to make it 3-0 Nighthawks.
Yesterday, Montevallo transfer
Sydnee Reaves highlighted the offense for UNG. On Saturday, Badalament, another transfer who committed to UNG to play for O'Hair, symbolized yet again that O'Hair's recruitment is working for this team.
The Nighthawks comfortably took their 3-0 lead into the fifth inning until the Panthers finally scratched a run across to make it 3-1.
In the sixth, facing a UNG team that was six outs away from closing out the victory, Florida Tech rallied to tie the game 3-3.
In the seventh inning, Badalament, a two-way player who both hit and pitched 5.2 innings in the game, worked out of the inning to give the Nighthawks a chance to win the game in the home half of the frame.
They would do exactly that as Reaves singled through the left side to get the frame started. A double from freshman infielder
Jenna Miles put runners on second and third with nobody out as the Nighthawks applied pressure to the Panther defense.
A shallow fly out to center field from junior infielder
Chloe Poss was not deep enough to bring Reaves home from third base. However, with the bases loaded (Florida Tech intentionally walked junior first baseman
Marycille Brumby), Knowles powered a fly ball to right field that was caught for the out. Yet, Reaves raced home and scored as UNG celebrated its first walk off and win of the 2025 season.
Game 2: Nighthawks def. Buccaneers, 11-6
While Saturday's first game against Florida Tech was a nail biter that needed a deep fly out from Knowles to cement a walk off win, game two against Barry was a much more comfortable affair for UNG.
The Nighthawks led 2-0 before recording an out as Brumby brought home a pair of runs on a bases loaded single to start the scoring in the opening inning.
Levao-Maisonet added to the fun with a single of her own through the left side to make it 3-0.
A bases loaded walk and a subsequent wild pitch gave UNG a 5-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
Barry slowly chipped back into the game with three runs in the bottom of the first to make it 5-3.
In the third, Reaves grounded out with Knowles on third base to bring home another run and make it 6-3 in favor of the Nighthawks.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Bucs nearly completed the five-run comeback as they pulled within a single run at 6-5. However, UNG was no longer messing around when it went to the plate in the top of the fifth.
With one out and runners on second and third, sophomore outfielder
Kaitlyn Johnson doubled to left to bring home a pair of runs and grow the lead. Then Reaves followed with another double to score Johnson. The speedy Reaves then scored in the next at bat after an error from the Barry defense. Suddenly it was 10-5 and UNG was firmly in control of the game.
Both teams would each add one more run before the Nighthawks finally concluded the game and earned their second win of the day.
