Facing elimination in the NCAA Division II Softball Championship on Friday, May 25, top-seeded University of North Georgia scored all its runs in the second inning to secure a 4-0 victory against No. 5 seed West Chester in Salem, Virginia.

The Nighthawks (62-3) will take on sixth-seeded Saint Leo in another elimination game at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

A day after tossing a complete game in North Georgia’s 1-0 loss to No. 8 seed Southern Indiana, Kylee Smith struck out five and allowed just one walk over six innings of three-hit ball against West Chester. Amber Johns slammed the door in the seventh inning for the Nighthawks despite permitting the leadoff hitter to reach second base on a walk and passed ball.

Shortstop Sydney Sprague lead off the North Georgia second inning with a double and scored on a single by outfielder Alishia Frierson (2 for 3). 

Nighthawks second baseman Jordan Deep then cranked an RBI double down the right-field line before first baseman Brittany Gilliam plated a pair with a two-out double of her own.

Compiled by Marcus Rodrigue