Smith sets PBC career strikeout record, Simmons belts grandslam in UNG sweep

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Margaret Simmons

FLORENCE, S.C. – University of North Georgia softball pitcher Kylee Smith surpassed the Peach Belt career strikeout mark Friday afternoon as the No. 4 Nighthawks swept Francis Marion.

GAME ONE – #4 UNG 12, FMU 3
The Nighthawks struck first in the second inning as Gracie Mixson singled up the middle to plate the game’s first run. UNG doubled its lead in the third on a Kaylyn Anthony sacrifice fly before blowing the game open in the fifth on another Mixson RBI single and a Patriot wild pitch that pushed the lead to 5-0.

North Georgia continued the scoring in the sixth as Margaret Simmons doubled to plate the sixth run of the game before UNG scored six runs in the seventh, highlighted by a Cheyanne Mosteller RBI double, a Margaret Simmons grand slam and a Madison Simmons solo homer. FMU plated three in the bottom of the frame to get to the final score.

Smith earned her first win of the day, fanning 15 Patriots across six innings of work.

GAME TWO – #4 UNG 8, FMU 6
The Patriots struck first, plating three in the bottom half of the first, forcing Smith back into the circle for the Nighthawks. Marley Holmes got UNG on the board in the second inning with a RBI single before Margaret Simmons hit her 16th homer of the year in the third to trim the lead to 3-2. After Holmes hit a sacrifice fly later in the third, Mixson hit her third RBI single of the day to give North Georgia a 4-3 lead.

Smith went on to strike out two batters in the third inning, giving her the 1,208th punchout of her career to give her the career mark in the league. North Georgia kept the momentum in the fourth with RBI doubles from Margaret Simmons and Mallory Parker and a RBI single from Anthony to push the lead out to 7-3. Margaret Simmons sent a sacrifice fly into play in the fifth to give UNG an 8-3 lead before the Nighthawks held off the Patriots’ late rally for the sweep.

Smith (12-3) struck out 11 in the nightcap, surrendering three runs off five hits.

NOTES
– Smith surpassed the previous conference career record set by Georgia College’s Mandy Chandler from 2006-09.

– Margaret Simmons went 5-for-9 at the plate with eight RBI and five runs scored on the day, while Mixson went 4-for-8 with four RBI.

NEXT UP
North Georgia will travel north to UNC Pembroke for a Sunday doubleheader scheduled for a noon first pitch.

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