FLORENCE, SC – Junior right-hander Courtney Poole limited Francis Marion University to four runs on nine hits in 13 innings as ninth-ranked University of North Georgia swept a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader from the Patriots on Monday afternoon (March 16), winning 7-2 and 11-2.

Francis Marion (15-11, 4-4) will play a pair of non-conference road doubleheaders this week: Wednesday at King University (1 p.m.) and Thursday at Mars Hill College (1 p.m.).

In Monday's opener, the first three North Georgia batters all reached on Patriot fielding errors.  Those miscues would lead to four unearned runs, including a two-run double off the bat of catcher Jessica Finch.

Francis Marion got one run back in the last of the first when junior third baseman Shannan Lopez belted a solo homer over the left field fence.

The Nighthawks (23-5, 4-0) added a single run in the second on an RBI groundout by Kim McMillan and two runs in third to lead 7-1.

The final FMU tally came on a solo home run to center by junior Shelby Kelley in the fifth frame.

FMU freshman southpaw Kaitlin Munda (6-6) took the loss despite allowing only three earned runs on eight hits.  She fanned eight and walked one.

Poole (17-1) surrendered only three hits, while striking out seven and issuing two walks in game one.  In the second contest, she pitched six innings, allowing two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts.

North Georgia led 5-0 after three frames, and eventually 9-0 heading to the bottom of the sixth.

Senior designated player Katie Carnes drove in the two FMU runs with a double to right center field in the sixth inning.  Sophomore left fielder Briana Barzola was the lone Patriot with multiple hits in the second contest as she went 2-for-4.

Kelley (3-4) started game two for Francis Marion and absorbed the loss.

Designated player Ansley Phillips went 2-for-3 with a home run and four runs batted in, while McMillan was 3-for-5 including a three-run homer. Finch was 3-for-4 with two RBIs in game two.

#9 U. of North Georgia 7, Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Mar 16, 2015 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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U. of North Georgia. 412 000 0 -  7  8  0      (22-5, 3-0 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 100 010 0 -  2  3  4      (15-10, 4-3 PBC)
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Pitchers: U. of North Georgia - Courtney Poole and Jessica Finch. Francis Marion Univ. -
Kaitlin Munda and Shannan Lopez.
Win-Courtney Poole(16-1)  Loss-Kaitlin Munda(6-6)  T-1:50  A-0
HR FMU_SB - Shannan Lopez (4); Shelby Kelley (2).
Weather: Partly Cloudy,71,Winds SSE @ 6

#9 U. of North Georgia 11, Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Mar 16, 2015 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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U. of North Georgia. 032 013 2 - 11 13  0      (23-5, 4-0 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 002 0 -  2  6  5      (15-11, 4-4 PBC)
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Pitchers: U. of North Georgia - Courtney Poole; Meagan Stover(7) and Jessica Finch.
Francis Marion Univ. - Shelby Kelley; Katie Carnes(7) and Mykah Nevin.
Win-Courtney Poole(17-1)  Loss-Shelby Kelley(3-4)  T-2:03  A-55
HR UNG - Kim McMillan (11); Ansley Phillips (1).
Weather: Mostly Sunny,78,Winds SSW @ 7