MILLEDGEVILLE -- The top-seeded University of North Georgia softball team claimed their second consecutive Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship with a 2-0 win over second-seeded Georgia College Sunday afternoon at the Peeler Complex. With the win, UNG earns the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Softball Tournament and will enter the tourney with a 45-8 record.
Jessica Finch got the Nighthawks on the board in the bottom of the second with a lined shot over the wall in left center. The solo homer put North Georgia up 1-0.
The North Georgia catcher picked up another RBI in the bottom of the fourth as she knocked in Hannah McSwain with a base hit just behind the second base bag, giving the Hawks the 2-0 advantage that proved final.
Courtney Poole (37-3) picked up the win with a two-hit shutout. Poole struck out five in her 7.0 innings pitched.
Finch was named the tournament's most valuable player after collecting five runs batted in on the weekend, including every RBI in UNG's quarterfinal win and the championship game. Meagan May and Courtney Poole also made the All-Tournament team.
North Georgia will find out where they land in the NCAA DII Tournament bracket on the selection show Monday, May 4 at 10 a.m. on NCAA.com.
