IRONDALE, Ala. - On Wednesday afternoon, the Union University softball team traveled to Irondale, Ala., to face the No. 9 University of North Georgia at Shea Brothers Stadium in the Thunderbolt Complex. North Georgia won both games 7-0. Union is now 5-19 overall, while North Georgia improves to 21-4 overall. 

The first game was 2-0 until the sixth inning when the Nighthawks struck for two homeruns with one being a three-run shot off the bat of Rylie Moody and the other being a two-run homer from Marycille Brumby. 

North Georgia outhit the Lady Bulldogs 11-4, but Union left more runners on base with nine. Denise Pauletich led the Union offense, going 2-3 in the game, and Morgan Jennings and Mallory Hildebrand collected one hit each.

Rylee Moore got the start for Union and held the Nighthawks to just two runs until the sixth. She pitched 5.2 innings but gave way to Riley Vaughn in relief to record the last out of the sixth. Vaughn struck out the only batter she faced.

Game two saw the Nighthawks jump out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning. North Georgia had three homers in the game, a three-run blast from Carleigh Knowles in the first and a solo shot from Tagen Levao-Maisonet and a pinch-hit two-run blast from Ava Lunsford both in the sixth.

Union had four hits in the game. Jennings led the team with two, and Moore and Pauletich had one apiece with Pauletich's being a double down the left field line.

Emily Claire Felder started the game for Union, throwing five innings and allowing seven runs while striking out four batters. Vaughn pitched one inning in relief and had one strikeout.

Up next, the Lady Bulldogs will travel to Nashville, Tenn., to face No. 13 Trevecca Nazarene University in a doubleheader on Mar. 14. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. with game two to follow.

-UNION-