DAHLONEGA – The No. 5 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team used late offense and a complete-game performance from Chloe Poss to advance past Lander 7-0 in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament Semifinals on Saturday afternoon.
The semifinal matchup began as a pitcher's duel between Poss and Lander starter Paige Sherman. Through the first three innings, both teams put traffic on the bases but combined for just a pair of hits, as the two pitchers worked through the lineup to keep the game scoreless.
The Nighthawks found their spark in the bottom of the fourth, and it was Poss who delivered once again for her team. In a full count, the Cedartown, Ga. native laced a double to centerfield to score Kayla Berry and put North Georgia out in front.
After being held hitless against Flagler in the quarterfinals, PBC Player of the Year Sydnee Reaves got back on track with a two RBI single to left field to extend the lead to three.
Now that the bats were humming, the Nighthawks never looked back. In the bottom of the fifth, North Georgia found three more runs to push even farther ahead of the Bearcats.
Berry picked up right where she left off yesterday with a base hit and came around to score off an RBI single from Ava Lunsford. Immediately after Lunsford, Reaves connected on her second two RBI single to score Lunsford and Poss and extend the lead to six.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Nighthawks had one more run left in them, courtesy of their all-conference first baseman Marycille Brumby. The senior belted a solo homer over the wall in centerfield to build the lead to seven and put the exclamation point on the semifinal victory.
Poss went the distance in her league-leading 23rd win of the season, tossing seven scoreless innings while only surrendering four hits and recording four strikeouts. The win in the circle marked her ninth complete game of the year.
Reaves highlighted the North Georgia lineup with a pair of hits and four RBI in the semifinals. Berry continues to put together an impressive tournament run, as the sophomore right fielder is 5-6 at the plate with two walks and five runs scored over the last two games.
North Georgia (44-8, 22-5 PBC) will take on the two seed Columbus State tomorrow afternoon in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship, in search of the program's thirteenth PBC tournament title. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
