CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The University of North Georgia softball team are national champions.
On Wednesday, the Nighthawks knocked off Grand Valley State, 3-0, to win the program's second NCAA Division 2 national title at UT-Chattnooga's Frost Stadium.
UNG entered Wednesday's game with a 1-0 lead after beating the Lakers 7-3 in Game 1 of the best-of-three title series on Tuesday.
It was a sluggish start for both teams on Wednesday, but the Nighthawks found some offense in the third inning to take the lead. Tournament MVP Sophie Mooney pushed the Nighthawks to the lead in the third inning when she got one past the shortstop, scoring Jolie Lester.
UNG added more insurance in the fourth. Hannah Forehand (2-for-3) ripped her 16th double of the season down the third base line to start the inning, followed by an Olivia Sinquefield (1-for-3, RBI) bunt. Sinquefield was initially called out, but after a video review, she was ruled safe. Sydney Blair drove in Forehand on an RBI ground out -- a hard chopper to shortstop -- for the 2-0 lead.
On the next at-bat, Buford's Mariah Wicker reached on a dropped third strike, but Sinquefield baited the Lakers into a run-down situation at third and beat the tag at the plate for the Nighthawks' third run of the game.
UNG got out of trouble in the bottom of the sixth inning after allowing two singles and sat the Lakers down in order to clinch the title in the seventh.
