DAHLONEGA — Courtney Poole tossed her 23rd complete game shutout of the season and the North Georgia softball team used a two-run fourth to take down Georgia College Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 438 at Haines and Carolyn Hill Stadium. With the win, the Nighthawks advance to the Southeast Super Regional with a record of 53-6.
UNG and Georgia College both picked up a pair of hits in the first two innings but neither team was able to mount a threat until the top of the fourth inning when Brittani Crawford started a rally with a one-out double off the wall in left center. Whitney Worth entered to pinch run for Crawford and immediately put her speed to use, scoring from second on Katie Block's double down the left field line. After a walk, Alexis Collis grounded into a fielder's choice to second. As the Bobcats failed on an attempt to turn the double play, Block never stopped running and came in to score to give North Georgia the 2-0 advantage.
Georgia College nearly got the runs back in the bottom frame of the inning with runners at first second but a diving catch from Nighthawk right fielder Stephanie Hartness ended the Bobcat threat. Georgia College put together another rally in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with two outs but a ground out back to Poole in the circle ended the inning.
NOTES
- Courtney Poole (52-2) allowed just five hits on the day against the powerful Georgia College lineup, picking up three strikeouts while allowing only one walk.
- Stephanie Hartness was the only player in the game to pick up multiple hits, legging out a pair of infield singles.
- North Georgia remains undefeated at Hill Stadium in NCAA Regional play with a perfect 21-0 record.
- UNG will be making its seventh appearance in the NCAA Super Regionals. North Georgia is 10-5 all-time in Super Regional games.
NEXT UP
The fourth-ranked Nighthawks will host No. 16 Armstrong State on Wednesday and Thursday in the Southeast Super Regional. The winner of the best-of-three series will advance to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship in Denver, Colorado. Game one of the series is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
