DAHLONEGA — It was a fitting senior day for the ninth-ranked University of North Georgia softball team as the 2017 senior class became just the second in the history of the Peach Belt Conference to win four consecutive league titles. The Nighthawks clinched their fourth straight regular season crown with a doubleheader sweep of Columbus State, run-ruling the Cougars twice, 17-0 and 8-0. UNG improves to 40-10 on the season with a 19-4 mark in PBC play.
GAME ONE
It was clear the Nighthawks were on a mission right out of the gate scoring four runs on five hits in the bottom of the first, sparked by a leadoff double by Sydney Sprague. Shelby Hammontree and Lexi Duncan would add two-baggers as well in the inning helping UNG to the early 4-0 lead.
UNG extended the lead to 6-0 in the second on an Alishia Frierson home run and an RBI single to left by Hammontree.
Frierson sparked a monstrous rally in the third with a screaming grand slam that was lined over the center field wall to push the lead to 10-0. Run-producing doubles would follow from Duncan, Hannah McSwain, and Stephanie Hartness with the Nighthawks holding a 16-0 lead at the end of the inning.
Freshman Kristen Adkins got her first at bat in nearly two months in the bottom of the fourth and took advantage of the pinch-hit opportunity, blasting a solo homer of the wall in left center to give North Georgia the 17-0 lead that proved final.
GAME TWO
Jessica Finch made her senior day even more special in the bottom of the second with a two-run bomb down the left field line to give the Nighthawks an early 2-0 lead. UNG would extend the lead to 3-0 in the fourth with an RBI single to left off the bat of Hartness.
North Georgia added three more in the fifth with a two-run double down the left field line from Kali Turner and an RBI double to left by Sprague that was just a foot away from making it over the wall to end the game.
The Nighthawks would get the run-rule in the sixth though, as Jordan Deep picked up the two-run single to center to give UNG the 8-0 win.
NOTES
- Kylee Smith (23-4) picked up both wins on the day starting both games of a doubleheader for the first time in her career, though her total pitch count on the day was just 138. In her combined eight innings of work, Smith allowed just six hits and six walks, while striking out three.
- Sydney Sprague led the team at the plate on the day with a 6-for-9 performance. Sprague hit four doubles on the day, including three in the second game of the day.
- Lexi Duncan also had a three-double game, hitting a trio of two-baggers in the first game.
- North Georgia improves to 20-7 all-time against Columbus State with the sweep. UNG has won the last nine games in the series.
STAT OF THE DAY
- UNG is just the second program in the history of the Peach Belt Conference to win four consecutive PBC Championships. Kennesaw State was the only other team to accomplish the feat, winning four straight from 1995 through 1998.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will wrap up the regular season in a single makeup game at Montevallo on Tuesday, April 18 at 1 p.m.
