DAHLONEGA — Brittany Gilliam went 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Amber Johns pitched a one-hitter as the No. 2 University of North Georgia softball team swept Francis Marion Wednesday afternoon at Haines and Carolyn Hill Stadium. The Nighthawks won game one, 4-0, before a five-inning 8-0 win in the second half of the twinbill.
GAME ONE
Both teams were scoreless through three innings before UNG broke the scoreless draw in the fourth. After Kaylyn Anthony drew a walk with one out, stole second and went to third on a bad throw from the Patriot catcher, she came home on a RBI groundout to score the game's first run. Two batters later, Gilliam brought home two more runs on a single to center to extend the Nighthawk lead to 3-0.
North Georgia pushed the final run of the game across in the fifth after Sydney Sprague tripled with one out and Marley Stowers singled to bring her home and get to the 4-0 final score.
Kylee Smith improved to 17-0, striking out 11 Francis Marion batters while scattering three hits.
GAME TWO
The offense for UNG woke up in the second game of the doubleheader, starting in the second inning with a two-out double by Alishia Frierson that led to a RBI single for Jordan Deep, putting the Nighthawks up, 1-0.
Gilliam started off a seven-run fourth with a triple on the first pitch of the inning and was brought home by a pinch-hit single by Kristen Adkins. After a third Nighthawk run crossed the plate, Anthony delivered again, plating two runs on a single to left, making the score 5-0.
A Shelby Hammontree single increased the lead to six before Gilliam delivered again in the fourth with a two-RBI double to get the game to the eight-run margin.
Johns gave up just the one hit across her five innings, striking out four Patriots and walking just two.
NOTES
- Smith's 11 strikeout performance marked the 10th time this season that the sophomore has had double-digit strikeouts in a single game.
- North Georgia is now 34-1 on the season and 6-0 in league play, while Francis Marion fell to 13-17 and 1-7 in PBC competition. The Nighthawks have now won 26 straight against FMU.
NEXT UP
UNG will host Augusta in the fifth and sixth games of the eight-game homestand on Saturday. First pitch of the twinbill is set for 1 p.m.
