For the third straight season, the North Georgia College & State University softball team is the champion of the Peach Belt Conference. After wrapping up their third straight regular season title last week, the Lady Saints made it three tournament titles in a row on Sunday with a 5-2 win over Augusta State in Florence, S.C.

No. 3 North Georgia (49-9) also earned an automatic bid into the 2011 NCAA Division II tournament with the tournament win. The NCAA Southeast Regionals will take place May 13-15 at a location to be announced at a later date.

Augusta State took an early lead with an unearned run in the top of the first Sunday, but the Lady Saints answered with a two-run home run from Pilar Harden in the bottom of the inning.

The Jaguars tied the game on a solo home run in the top of the third, but that’s all the offense North Georgia pitcher Sarah Phillips (19-4) allowed. She earned the win, striking out seven and walking three in six innings of work.

The game remained tied until Katharine Martin put North Georgia ahead to stay with a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth.

Harden finished as the Lady Saints’ leading hitter, going  2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.