GREENWOOD – The Lander softball team bounced back from a shutout in game one to put a scare into No. 2 North Georgia on Saturday afternoon, but the Nighthawks hung on to sweep the Bearcats at Doug Spears Field. North Georgia won game one 7-0 and game two 5-2. 

The Bearcats (19-14, 3-7 PBC) put the tying run at the plate with two outs in the seventh inning of game two, but a fly ball from Kasey Rogers was caught at the wall as North Georgia (40-1, 10-0 PBC) stayed perfect in league play. 

North Georgia plated three runs in the top of the first innng of game one before McKenzi Ferguson settled in, allowing just one run on three hits over the next five innings. 

Trailing 4-0, Lander threatened in the bottom of the sixth on back-to-back singles from Rogers and Casey Wooten to break up a no-hit bid by UNG's Kylee Smith. However, the Bearcats left two runners in scoring position as the Nighthawks maintained the 4-0 lead. 

UNG tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh to seal the game. Smith (21-0) struck out nine batters and allowed just two hits with one walk in a complete-game shutout. 

Ferguson (13-6) allowed seven runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts and three walks. 

Lander took the lead in game two as Halie Sorrow drew a two-out walk and Chandler Carey cleared the left field fence with her first home run of the season to put the Bearcats up 2-0. 

The Nighthawks answered quickly, however, with five runs on five hits in the top of the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. 

Brianna Surrento (5-7) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in 4.0 innings. UNG's Amber Johns (14-0) picked up the win after surrendering two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts and one walk in 6.0 innings. Smith tossed a scoreless seventh inning to earn her second save of the year.