DAHLONEGA, Ga. | The University of North Georgia collected 12 extra-base hits as they swept a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader from Georgia College & State University Saturday (April 5) afternoon at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
The Bobcats made things close in the opener, but could not prevail, falling 18-11, while the Nighthawks used the long ball in the second game, winning 11-3 in five innings. GCSU fell to 18-20 overall and to 11-7 in the PBC, while No. 8 North Georgia improved to 32-8 and 13-2. The Bobcats move to Rome, Georgia, for a 3 p.m.doubleheader against Shorter University Tuesday (April 8).
Karlie Gutierrez plated the first run of the opener on a fielder's choice. However, the Nighthawks led off the bottom of the inning with three RBI extra-base hits to plate score runs, coming from a home run from Carleigh Knowles, a double from Tagen Levao-Maisonet, and a triple from Sydnee Reaves.
Five more came across for North Georgia in the second, taking advantage of a GCSU miscue, and a single from Reaves and Rylie Moody. Nevertheless, the Bobcats had some fight left in them in the fifth, producing a seven-run inning. Caroline Pollock and Eliza Kuhne singled in a pair, Kam Caldwell drove in two on a fielder's choice, and Divina Checo drove in another pair on a double.
Pollock made things even closer in the sixth, bringing it within two at 13-11 on a three-run homer to center. Jacy Singleton, who had quieted the Nighthawks bats in the run category for the previous three innings, could not do it for a fourth inning. Five came across for North Georgia, powered by three doubles from Natalie Ray, Chloe Poss, and Ava Lunsford, ending the potential comeback.
Poss (11-2) gave up four runs over six and a third innings, allowing nine hits and three walks, striking out five.
Knowles led off the nightcap for the Nighthawks with a bang, blasting a two-run home run to left, but the Bobcats answered back in the second with three runs, capped off by a Caldwell RBI double for the Bobcats' second lead of the day at 3-2.
The long ball worked for North Georgia in the next two innings, as Moody, Knowles, Marycille Brumby, and Reaves all homered to drive in six runs and put North Georgia back into it. The Nighthawks' pitching shut down the GCSU offense for the final few innings.
Angelina Badalament (16-4) picked up the win on five innings of work, giving up three runs–one unearned, three hits, and three walks, while striking out three.
The Bobcats had five extra base hits in the doubleheader, including the home run from Pollock and doubles from Hutcheson, Checo, Kuhne, and Caldwell.
About GCSU Athletics
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for four consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won five consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports or subscribe to the GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics.
