RELATED: No. 9 North Georgia Completes Sweep Of Softball, 5-3

PEMBROKE – The visiting and nationally-ranked North Georgia Nighthawks used a pair of UNC Pembroke errors in the fourth inning while adding an additional four hits to come away with five runs and bust open the lead for the 8-3 Peach Belt Conference victory over the Braves softball team in the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for UNCP (14-8, 2-3 PBC), while No. 9 North Georgia (20-5, 1-0) earned its first league win and 20th victory of the season.

Six different Braves logged one hit as freshmen Taylor Gerhart, Haleigh Epperson and Lexie Coxe each crossed home plate. The Nighthawks outhit UNCP 10-6 with first baseman Kim McMillan totaling a trio of singles and two RBI and Katie Block and Victoria Prince each adding three hits.

Junior Katie Saunders (6-4) finished three innings of work in the middle for UNCP with four runs (one earned) and allowed on five hits, before sophomore Dakota Leviner went the final four innings. Courtney Poole (14-1) pulled out a win with five innings pitched for North Georgia and only three hits and nine strikeouts. Meagan Stover closed out the last two innings with two earned runs on three hits.

Following a scoreless first inning, North Georgia broke open the scoring campaign by sending home two runs for the quick lead, but UNCP cut the deficit by one in the third. Coxe reached first on a base on balls and was send home on senior Kaytee Wilson's double to right center field.

The Nighthawks registered five runs in the fifth and another run in the six, but UNCP attempted a rally in the bottom of the seventh as Gerhart singled to the shortstop and senior Megan Hillard advanced to first after being hit by a pitch. Catcher Toni Nelson drilled her single to rightcenter field bringing home Gerhart and moving pinch runner Epperson over. Coxe's leftfield single moved Epperson over and Jackson's putout scored UNCP's final run of the game.