DAHLONEGA -- Junior ace Courtney Poole tossed a three-hit shutout and sophomore catcher Jessica Finch provided the game-winning two-run single in the first inning to defeat No. 8 Georgia College, 2-0, and send the University of North Georgia softball team to its fourth NCAA Division II Softball Championship. The Nighthawks head to Oklahoma City with a 49-7 record.
The first frame of the game saw the majority of the game's offensive action. North Georgia got a two-out rally going in the top of the first inning when Tiffanie Burns earned a two-out walk. Ansley Phillips followed with a single up the middle and advanced to second on the throw to third. Finch took advantage of the runners in scoring position, driving them in with a two-run single to right giving UNG the 2-0 lead that would prove final.
"My hat goes off to Jamie (Grodecki) and her squad," UNG head coach Mike Davenport said. "They definitely could represent us out in Oklahoma City, they have a team that's good enough to win the national championship I believe. Our kids were just so resilient. To beat them as many times as we did this year and with what was at stake every time was impressive."
Both teams missed on other scoring opportunities in the game as the Nighthawks came away without a run in the top of the fourth after having the bases loaded with no outs. The Bobcats missed out on a run in the bottom of the fourth as Danielle Bernstein was called out for leaving first base early and just two pitches later, Kristen Brooks roped a double in the right center gap that would have most likely scored the speedster from first.
Just as the Bobcats were trying to start a rally in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on first and one out, Lacey Najafi lined a ball right into the glove of Kim McMillan at first who stepped on the first base bag to double up Brooks and send the Nighthawks to the DII World Series.
North Georgia joins four other teams who have already punched their ticket to Oklahoma City in Adelphi, Central Missouri, Shorter and St. Mary's (Texas). The field of eight will be set by day's end.
The Nighthawks will open play at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium on Thursday with the game time to be announced in the coming days.
