ORLANDO, Fla. — The top-ranked University of North Georgia softball team picked up its third straight run-rule victory and the fourth on the weekend, taking down Illinois-Springfield, 8-0, in six innings. UNG advances to 10-4 on the season with the victory.
The Nighthawks got on the board in the bottom of the third as Stephanie Hartness picked up a leadoff single through the right side and advanced to third on Jessica Finch's single to left. Whitney Worth entered to pinch run for Finch and would go on to steal second to give UNG two runners in scoring position with no outs. Hartness came into score on Alexis Collis' RBI groundout to short with Worth advancing to third on the play. Worth would come in to score herself just two pitches later on a wild pitch to put the Nighthawks up, 2-0.
Finch sparked an offensive rally in the fifth with a one-out triple to right center. Meredith Heyer followed with an infield single to third and caught the defense sleeping, stealing second base. Ansley Phillips drove in both runners with a two-out single up the middle. Katie Block drove in Phillips with a triple to right center and then came in to score herself on a single by Kelly Kahlert that gave UNG a 6-0 advantage.
For the third consecutive game, UNG would end the game by way of the run-rule in the sixth inning as a Heyer RBI double to left center brought in Kaycie Oakley from third and Finch would come in to score on a throwing error by the second baseman to end the game, 8-0.
The Nighthawks will play their final non-conference road games next weekend as they will travel to Spartanburg, South Carolina to participate in the 2016 Mid-South Classic, playing a pair of games on both Saturday and Sunday.
