SALISBURY, N.C. – A five-run first inning set the tone and the No. 8 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team kept adding from there, powering its way to a 20-3 win at Catawba on Sunday to finish off the weekend sweep.

The Nighthawks wasted little time taking control, sending nine batters to the plate in the opening inning. Marycille Brumby sparked the early surge with a three-run homer to center field, and Kaitlyn Johnson followed later in the frame with a two-run double to give North Georgia a 5-0 lead.

North Georgia broke the game open in the second inning, scoring five more runs on four hits. Morgan Martin delivered a two-run single, Kayla Berry added an RBI double, Ava Lunsford lifted a sacrifice fly and Johnson capped the rally with an RBI single as the lead doubled to 10-0.

The offensive onslaught continued in the third. Sydnee Reaves launched a solo home run before the Nighthawks plated five additional runs, highlighted by Lunsford's two-run double and Reaves' two-run single, pushing the advantage to 16-0.

Catawba answered with a pair of runs on a third-inning homer and added another run in the fourth, but the Nighthawks continued to respond offensively. Avery Moffitt connected on a solo home run in the fourth, and North Georgia closed the scoring with three runs in the fifth, including a two-run double from Reaves and an RBI double by Carleigh Knowles.

Reaves led the offensive explosion, finishing 4-for-4 with four runs scored and five RBI. Lunsford drove in three runs, while Brumby and Johnson also collected three RBI apiece. Martin scored three times and added two hits and two RBI as North Georgia totaled 17 hits in the win.

In the circle, Chloe Poss (7-1) earned the victory after tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Caroline Conner allowed three runs over two innings before Lila Mullinax closed the game with a scoreless fifth inning, striking out three.

North Georgia returns to action Feb. 28 with a doubleheader at Young Harris. Game one is set to begin at 1 p.m.