DAHLONEGA, GA – Eighth-ranked and second-seeded University of North Georgia never trailed while defeating 19th-ranked and third-seeded Francis Marion University twice, 7-3 and 5-0, on Saturday afternoon (May 11) to win the NCAA Division II Softball Southeast sub-Regional in Dahlonega, Ga.
 
Francis Marion entered the day needing only one win to advance to its second-ever Super Regional.  Instead, the Patriots finish their season with a 47-13 record, the most wins in program history.
 
North Georgia (51-11), the defending Division II national champion, advances to this week's Super Regional.
 
In the opening championship game, North Georgia took advantage of defensive miscues to plate three unearned runs in the top of the fifth enroute to the 7-3 victory.
 
FMU sophomore left-hander Alyssa Poston (28-6) was the losing pitcher.  She allowed four runs, all earned, on five hits in 4.2 innings of work.
 
Junior shortstop Makayla Cuthbertson led FMU with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, while senior first baseman Taylor Watford had two hits.
 
UNG took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a solo homer to right centerfield by Mallory Parker.  One batter earlier, Patriot center fielder Mikaela Goss took extra bases away from a Nighthawk batter with a leaping catch against the center field wall.
 
The margin doubled to 2-0 in the fourth when right fielder Madison Simmons led off with a homer to left.
 
North Georgia plated five runs in the decisive top of the fifth.  Parker tripled in the first run and then came home when the throw to third base bounced into the Patriot dugout.  After a pitching change, two fielding errors and a bases-loaded walk helped lead to three more runs – all unearned.
 
In the bottom of the inning, sophomore designated player Anderson Thrower and Cuthbertson both singled before Watford drilled a two-out three-run homer over the left field wall.  A native of Lamar, Watford ends her two-year Patriot career with 27 home runs and 140 RBIs, good for fourth on both FMU career lists.  Her 81 runs batted in this season were also a program record.
 
FMU freshman righty Abby Williams blanked the Nighthawks over the final two frames.  Cuthbertson and sophomore third baseman Madalyn White both singled in the bottom of the seventh, but FMU was not able to push a cross another run.
 
UNG right-hander Kristen Davis (19-6), who the Patriots had defeated on Friday, earned the complete-game win.  She scattered eight hits, struck out five, and walked only one.
 
That result forced the "if necessary" championship game about 45 minutes later.  UNG righty Tybee Denton (29-4) tossed a three-hit shutout as the Nighthawks prevailed 5-0.
 
Cuthbertson had two of FMU's three hits in the second game, while senior right fielder Katie Smith collected the other.  Cuthbertson ends the season on a 14-game hitting streak, while Smith hit safely in the final 12 games of her college career.  In fact over her final 14 games, Smith hit .523 (23-for-44) with 18 RBIs.
 
Patriot sophomore right-hander Jenna Walling started the second game and was tagged with the loss, only her third in 20 decisions this season.  She surrendered four runs on six hits in 3.2 innings.  Poston came on in relief and pitched the final 2.1 and allowed one run on three hits.
 
A one-out RBI double by Tagen Levao-Maisonet gave North Georgia a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.  In the top of the third, Thrower walked and was sacrificed to second, but two fly outs followed. 
 
A bases-loaded walk and a two-run single by Georgia Blair upped the advantage to 4-0 in the fourth inning.  A sacrifice fly in the sixth frame accounted for the final North Georgia run.
 
In the top of the seventh, Smith doubled and moved to third on a passed ball.  A walk to pinch hitter Emma Moberg put runners on the corners with one out.  However, Denton retired the final two batters on a strikeout and a soft come-back liner to end the contest.
 
 
#8 North Georgia 7, #19 Francis Marion 3 (May 11, 2024 at Dahlonega, Ga.) (Game 1)
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North Georgia....... 100 150 0 -  7  5  0      (50-11)
Francis Marion...... 000 030 0 -  3  8  4      (47-12)
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Pitchers: North Georgia - Davis, Kristen and Blair, Georgia. Francis Marion - Alyssa Poston;
Abby Williams(5) and Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Davis, Kristen (19-6)  Loss-Alyssa Poston (28-6)  T-2:08  A-253
HR UNGS2024 - Parker, Mallory; Simmons, Madison.
HR FMU_SB - Taylor Watford.
 
 
#8 North Georgia 5, #19 Francis Marion 0 (May 11, 2024 at Dahlonega, Ga.) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion...... 000 000 0 -  0  3  1      (47-13)
North Georgia....... 010 301 X -  5  9  0      (51-11)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Jenna Walling; Alyssa Poston(4) and Lauren Smallwood; Kendal Miller.
North Georgia - Denton, Tybee and Blair, Georgia.
Win-Denton, Tybee (29-4)  Loss-Jenna Walling (17-3)  T-1:52  A-255