YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Young Harris College split a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader with No. 1 University of North Georgia Sunday (March 24) afternoon at E.D. Rivers Field.
The Mountain Lions took the opener of the Battle of Blood Mountain series 3-1 before dropping game two 8-5. Young Harris improved to 18-12 overall and 4-2 in the PBC, while the Nighthawks fell to 27-7 and 5-1. The Mountain Lions travel to Franklin Springs, Georgia, Wednesday (March 27) for a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Emmanuel (Ga.) College.
Grace Botti put YHC on the board in the first inning with a single up the middle that scored
Morgan Curley.
Carly Rigsbee made it a 3-0 game for the Mountain Lions with a two-run homer to center field, her second of the season, in the third inning.
Katie Collins hit a solo home run to right center in the top of the fourth inning for UNG.
Nikkie Kovalsky (14-8) retired nine of the last 11 batters she faced to seal the victory for Young Harris.
Kovalksy threw a complete gave allowing one run on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
Rigsbee collected one hit, two RBI, and a run scored, while Botti went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
Morgan Curley and
Emily Harris each had one hit and one RBI.
Kylee Smith (15-1) suffered her first loss of the season for the Nighthawks as she allowed three runs on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts in six innings pitched.
Marley Stowers put UNG on the board first in game two with a two RBI single in the top of the first inning. Hobby Gregory made it a 5-0 game for the Nighthawks in the fourth with a three-run homer to right center.
Haylie Shope hit a two-run homer, her second of the season, and
Karah Straub scored on a throwing error to put the Mountain Lions on the board in the sixth inning.
UNG brought home three runs in the top of the seventh to take an 8-3 lead. Shope hit her second two-run homer of the game and third of the season in the bottom half of the seventh inning.
Lousia Disi (3-4) earned the loss for Young Harris as she allowed eight runs (five earned) on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Shope had two hits, four RBI, and two runs scored, while Curley, Botti,
Kristan Lizardi, and
Biz Walters each had one hit. Harris had one hit and two runs scored.
Abbie Crawford (6-2) picked up the win for the Nighthawks as she gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched.
