CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The No. 9 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Alabama-Huntsville (UAH) at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn. on Wednesday. 

UNG (28-7, 10-2 Peach Belt) smashed six home runs in total on the day including four in an 8-2 win in game one of the twin billing. 

UAH (17-17, 9-9 Gulf South) responded with an offensive attack in game two that resulted in an 11-2 win for the Chargers.

In three games in total against UAH this season, the Nighthawks came away with a 2-1 record to take the season series.

The marquee non-conference slate does not end in Chattanooga for UNG, however. Now the Nighthawks get ready for a doubleheader against No. 5 Auburn-Montgomery at home on Monday, March 31. 

The two-game set against the Warhawks is the meat in a six-game, non-conference sandwich for UNG who will play its next four games against nationally ranked opponents. 

First pitch from Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park on Monday is set for 3 p.m.

Game 1: Nighthawks def. Chargers, 8-2
Junior center field Sydnee Reaves set the tone in Wednesday's opener and the Nighthawks followed her lead throughout the whole game. 

The first-year Nighthawk destroyed a ball in the first at bat of the game for her seventh home run of the season.

After freshman second baseman Jenna Miles walked and then stole second base, junior outfielder Natalie Ray brought her in on an RBI single to right field. After three at bats in the bottom of the first, UNG held a 2-0 lead.

The Nighthawks tacked on two more runs in the second inning as junior first baseman Marycille Brumby belted a ball to right field that allowed her to reach third base and bring in a run. Brumby scored just a few pitches later on a single up the middle from Reaves to make it 4-0.

UNG went back to the home run well in the third inning. Ray led off the frame with her seventh homer of the season, a no-doubter to right center field. Three pitches later, freshman catcher Carleigh Knowles launched her team-leading 11th bomb of the season to make it 6-0. It was the first instance of back-to-back home runs for the Nighthawks this season. However, it wasn't the last.

The Chargers added two runs in the top of the fifth inning to make it 6-2. However, senior starting pitcher Angelina Badalament kept UAH at bay all day as she completed seven innings with seven hits, two runs, two walks and four strikeouts in the game.

Brumby concluded the scoring in the sixth inning when she connected on her fourth homer of the season. Her two run blast brought the game to its final score of 8-2.

Game 2: Chargers def. Nighthawks, 11-2 (6 Inn.)
While UNG jumped on UAH early in game one, it was the Chargers who flipped the script in game two.

UAH ambushed the Nighthawks for four runs in the first inning highlighted by a two-run homer from Maddie Cartron.

The Chargers continued the scoring in the second inning with another homer, this time from Sadie Thompson, and another three runs. 

Despite the loss, Ray and Knowles highlighted the second game by going yard in back-to-back at bats for the second time in the day. 

Knowles and Ray have been two of the best home run hitters this season for a UNG team that currently leads the Peach Belt Conference with 46 long bombs on the year. Knowles leads all hitters in the conference with 12 big flies while Ray stands in fourth with eight. Reaves and senior shortstop Rylie Moody are tied for fifth in the league with seven homers each.

UAH ended the game in the sixth inning with a trio of runs to seal the 11-2 victory.