DAHLONEGA — Hannah McSwain's two-run blast over the left field fence in the eighth inning was the difference as the No. 3 North Georgia softball team battled out of the losers' bracket to win the 2017 NCAA Division II Softball Southeast Regional 1 on Saturday afternoon at UNG's Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
North Georgia won the first game of the day 8-1 over fourth-seeded Limestone and, following a lengthy rain delay between games, held off a late charge to edge the Saints, 5-3, in eight innings.
UNG advances to the Super Regional on May 18-19 to be held at "The Hill" in Dahlonega against the winner of tomorrow's (Sunday) match up between third-seeded Armstrong State and seventh-seeded Pfeiffer. The Southeast Regional 2 was postponed today due to rain in the Savannah area.
Game #1: North Georgia 8, Limestone 1
UNG jumped out early with a run in the top of the first courtesy of a RBI-single by Jessica Finch and Shelby Hammontree's tenth homerun of the season in the top of the fourth upped the Nighthawk lead to 2-0.
A four-run sixth inning was fueled by four doubles from Lexi Duncah, Hannah McSwain, Stephanie Hartness and Alishia Frierson and capped with Finch's second RBI-single of the game.
A solo shot by Limestone in the bottom of the frame allowed the Saints to avoid the shutout, before a two-run pinch hit homerun by North Georgia's Kali Turner in the seventh rounded out the scoring.
Kylee Smith (30-5) earned her 30th win of the season in the circle with six strikeouts in six innings of work as the freshman scattered five hits.
Finch, Duncan and McSwain each posted two hits to pace the UNG offense.
Game #2: North Georgia 5, Limestone 3 (8)
UNG jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second game when back-to-back RBI-doubles by Sydney Sprague and Hartness plated three Nighthawks in the top of the second.
Limestone showed some fight in the bottom of the fourth as the Saints tied up the score at 3-3 with three consecutive RBI-singles.
McSwain's game-winner in the eighth plated Duncan who singled through the left side.
In the bottom half, Smith would need just six pitches to sit down the side and send the Nighthawks to the next round. She fanned five Saints while giving up just four hits and a single earned run. Her five strikeouts came in consecutive at-bats in the second and third innings.
Hartness led the offense with a 3-for-4 game from the plate, while Duncan pitched in with her ninth multiple-hit game of the season.
Notes
- Stephanie Hartness was 12-of-16 from the plate during the five games of the Regional for an impressive .750 batting average.
- McSwain extended her hitting streak to a season-best eight games.
- North Georgia has won all eight regionals hosted in Dahlonega, with this year's marking the first time that the Nighthawks had to fight back out of the losers' bracket. Prior to Thursday's 2-1 loss to North Greenville, UNG had won 21 consecutive Regional games at home.
- UNG is now 25-1 in regional play in Dahlonega.
- The Super Regional appearance will be the eighth in program history.
