DAHLONEGA – Chloe Poss delivered a complete-game performance for the No. 5 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team in a 2-0 victory over USC Aiken in the series opener on Friday night at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
The Pacers threatened to score early, as USC Aiken loaded the bases in the top of the first inning. Poss worked out of the jam and delivered a strikeout to close out the inning and leave runners stranded on all the bases.
In the bottom of the second, Jenna Miles drew a walk and made her way to third by the way of a Carleigh Knowles groundout and a wild pitch to Marycille Brumby. With two outs on the board, Brumby delivered a tough ground ball to the Pacers' shortstop who could not pick up the final out, letting Miles come home for the first run of the game.
The second inning forward was a pitching duel between Poss and the PBC Pitcher of the Week Abbie Kegley. Poss tossed three-straight strikeouts in the top of the second, and Kegley followed that up with a pair of her own strikeouts in the home-half of the inning.
After another strikeout from Poss and a double play from the Nighthawks to close out the top of the third, North Georgia got right to work in the bottom of the frame. With the lineup flipped back over to Sydnee Reaves, she took a swing at the first pitch she saw and sent a solo home run to right field, cushioning North Georgia's lead 2-0.
USC Aiken put runners in scoring position in the fifth and six innings, but Poss continued to shine, leaving the Pacers stranded on the bases at every opportunity. Poss closed the door on the Pacers in the top of the seventh inning with her eighth and ninth strikeouts of the evening.
Poss was stellar in the circle, securing her 12th win of the year in the fourth shutout victory for North Georgia this season. The senior from Thomson, Ga. struck out nine batters while only surrendering four hits.
Reaves, Morgan Martin and Kayla Berry delivered hits in the win, with Reaves picking up her sixth home run of the season.
Kate Newberry, Chloe Webb, Mollie Rollings and Anna Turner all record a hit for USC Aiken (15-11, 2-2 PBC).
The Nighthawks (21-4, 3-1 PBC) will go for the series win tomorrow afternoon in a doubleheader against the Pacers. First pitch for game two of the series is set for 1 p.m.
