SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Offensive production powered by Jessica Finch and Meredith Heyer, combined with another stellar day by Courtney Poole in the circle lifted the 22nd-ranked University of North Georgia softball team to a sweep of Bellarmine and Catawba Sunday afternoon at Tyger River Park to claim a clean sweep of the tournament. The Nighthawks improve to 15-4 on the year, finishing the month of February with a perfect 15-0 mark.
GAME ONE
UNG got on the board in the bottom of the first with RBI doubles from Finch and Heyer to give the Nighthawks a 2-0 lead, but the offense would go quiet until the fifth inning when North Georgia and Bellarmine traded runs to make it 3-2, UNG.
Bellarmine scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. Finch would provide the dramatic walk off single in the bottom of the eighth to drive in Meagan May and hand UNG a 4-3 win.
GAME TWO
The Nighthawks cruised to a 7-0 win over No. 7 Catawba in the second game of the day with Heyer driving in four of North Georgia's seven runs in the contest, including a two-run homer in the top of the first inning.
Courtney Poole (14-0) went the distance allowing just three hits, while striking out eight. Poole finished the weekend with 45 strikeouts.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will open up the month of March with their first home games of the 2016 season, hosting Lincoln Memorial in a Wednesday afternoon doubleheader. First pitch at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
