DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Playing in front of a worldwide audience on ESPN3, the Georgia College Softball team (28-10, 5-5 PBC) used great pitching and timely hitting to split with No. 8 University of North Georgia (35-6, 13-1 PBC), rebounding from a 10-5 loss in the opener for a 3-2 win in the second game.

Game one was a barn-burner, with defending National Champion North Georgia providing the response at every turn. The Bobcats tied the game 1-1 in the top of the second, but single runs in the second and fourth gave the Nighthawks a 3-1 advantage heading into an exciting fifth inning.  

The Bobcats plated four in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead, thanks in large part to a three-run blast from Hannah Coursey (Sugar Hill), her second this season. In the bottom half, North Georgia went back in front, taking advantage of a key Bobcat error. After four more in the sixth, the final came to 10-5.

Rightfielder Abi LeRoy (Dublin), catcher Lacey Najafi (Suwanee) and first baseman Faith Flanders (Dublin) had two hits and a run each. Hannah Coursey had all four of the team's RBIs. 

In game two, junior Carly Lewis (Seymour, Tennessee) went head-to-head with National Player of the Year Courtney Poole in a pitchers duel, and got the best of the Nighthawk All-American.

Lewis was spotted early runs in the first and third, solo blasts from LeRoy and third baseman Kristen Brooks (Brunswick). LeRoy's home run was her first, with Brooks knocking her third round-tripper. North Georgia drew even in the fourth, thanks to an RBI double from Brittani Crawford and a run-scoring single from Meredith Heyer.

In the sixth, a Flanders single up the middle scored LeRoy for the 3-2 advantage. North Georgia nearly responded in the bottom of the sixth, when Stephanie Hartness walked and stole second. One out later, she was doubled off second on a fly to right, ending a potential threat. The Nighthawks went 1-2-3 in the seventh.

Lewis dazzled with five hits for two runs, walking a pair and striking out two, while throwing 118 pitches. The junior righty improves to 14-5 on the season, handing the Nighthawks their first Peach Belt Conference (PBC) loss of the season.

LeRoy went 3-for-3 in game two with two runs and an RBI. Najafi added two hits in three trips.

The Bobcats are back in action Thursday, March 31 at 4 p.m., playing host to Columbus State University at the Peeler Complex.

The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at @GCBobcats on all social media formats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.