DAHLONEGA – The No. 11 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team picked up a doubleheader sweep over Saginaw Valley State (SVSU) at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park on Saturday.

In a high-scoring affair, the Nighthawks (11-4) staved off a comeback from the Cardinals (1-3) in a 16-14 marathon.

In game two offense was at a premium as UNG came out with a 4-3 walk off win on a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning from senior shortstop Rylie Moody.

Now the Nighthawks get ready for a Tuesday doubleheader against Miles. The twin billing begins at "The Hill" on Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.

Game 1: Nighthawks def. Cardinals, 16-14
SVSU took an early lead in game one of the day with a two-run single from Lillia Sherman.

However UNG answered with a nine-run first inning in the home half of the frame as it sent 14 batters to the plate. 

Sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Johnson brought in a pair of runs with a single to left to make it 3-2 and give the Nighthawks their first lead of the game.

With the bases loaded junior first baseman Marycille Brumby then roped a double to the gap in left center to clear the bases and make it a 6-2 score.

Moody extended the lead with one swing in the next at bat as she clobbered her second home run of the season.

At 8-2 UNG added one final run on an RBI double from freshman catcher Carleigh Knowles.

In her next at bat of the game in the third inning, Moody added her third RBI of the day with a double to right field to solidify a 10-2 Nighthawk advantage.

The Cardinals would not go quietly though, adding five runs in the top of the third. The inning was highlighted by a two-out grand slam from Jenna Morse to make it a 10-8 ballgame.

Redshirt sophomore Tagen Levao-Maisonet gave the Nighthawks some insurance with a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the inning. Brumby then brought Levao-Maisonet in on a sacrifice fly to make it 14-8.

UNG added a lone run in the fourth inning before SVSU cut into the lead with its third home run of the game from Mya Purdy. This time it was a three-run blast that made it 15-11 with two innings to play.

The Nighthawks brought in their final run of the game after a Cardinal error allowed junior center fielder Sydnee Reaves to cross the plate.

One final homer, the second of the day for Sherman, made things interesting in the top of the seventh as the two-out, three-run blast made it 16-14. However, freshman pitcher Graci West got Ella Schneider to pop out to end the game.

Game 2: Nighthawks def. Cardinals, 4-3
Seven total pitchers occupied the circle in game one between UNG and SVSU. They allowed a combined 30 runs between the two teams. Game two was a drastically different story.

Senior Angelina Badalament got the start for the Nighthawks while Macy Irelan earned the nod for the Cardinals. Both pitched a complete game as run-scoring was hard to find in the series finale.

Both teams went scoreless through the first two innings but SVSU threatened to open the scoring in the third inning as it loaded the bases.

Jenna Morse was hit by a pitch to bring in the first run of the game before Alana Kimble lifted a sac fly to left field to bring another run.

UNG quickly responded in the bottom of the inning as Moody and freshman second baseman Jenna Miles scored thanks to a triple from junior outfielder Natalie Ray to make it 2-2.

Reaves broke the tie in the fifth with her team-high fifth homer of the season. The solo shot to right field gave the Nighthawks a 3-2 lead.

Badalament only needed to record six more outs as she began the sixth inning with a 3-2 lead. However, Olivia Elliot's solo home run tied the game at 3-3 and kept the Cardinals alive.

Irelan began to cook in the circle as the game entered the home stretch. After giving up the home run to Reaves, Irelan retired six of the next seven batters. She recorded three straight strikeouts between the sixth and seventh innings.

After two of her teammates went down swinging to open up the bottom of the seventh, Moody stepped to the plate as the last hope for UNG to pull out the win. 

Moody smoked a ball down the left field line that stayed fair as it sailed over the wall for the walk-off home run as the Nighthawks poured out of the dugout to mob Moody at home plate. 

In total Moody went 3-for-6 at the dish with two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI in the doubleheader.