PEMBROKE – Despite out-hitting the visiting and nationally-ranked North Georgia Saints, the UNCP softball team committed four errors in the first game of the doubleheader on Monday with Peach Belt Conference foe No. 6 North Georgia as the Saints scored the first two runs on mistakes by the Lady Braves.

The Lady Braves (16-22, 2-7 PBC) totaled eight hits with freshman Caitlin Steel and sophomore Karlee Wilson each going 2-for-3 during the contest. North Georgia (29-7, 9-2) was led by Taylor Anne Merritt with two hits and two runs, while Ansley Phillips notched two hits and the only RBI of the game.

Senior Starr Gilley (6-7) faced 18 batters in her four innings of work for the Black and Gold as she struck out seven, gave up four hits and three runs (one earned) before junior Natalie Klemann came into relieve for the remainder of the game. Klemann allowed one earned run on three hits, but recorded two strikeouts. Melissa Dickie (9-3) captured the win in the middle for the Saints after going the complete game with four strikeouts and eight hits.

North Georgia opened up the first inning with a single through the right side by Taylor Anne Merritt before putting the Saints up one run as she scored on a fielding error by the shortstop. Using an error on the shortstop in the second inning, Callie Fernandez reached first and scored on another error. The final two runs for North Georgia came in the fourth and the fifth as both Kayla Minger and Merritt single to reach first base and crossed home plate for the 4-0 victory.

The Lady Braves reached base 11 times as junior Taylor Cloninger was walked, hit by a pitch, and singled through the right side in her at-bats.