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HOME OF THE LANDER UNIVERSITY BEARCATS #CLAWSUP
15
Winner North Georgia UNG 48-9
6
Lander LANDER 35-20
Winner
North Georgia UNG
48-9
15
Final
6
Lander LANDER
35-20
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
North Georgia UNG 6 0 0 1 4 4 15 13 0
Lander LANDER 3 0 0 0 1 2 6 8 2

5
Winner North Georgia UNG 49-9
0
Lander LANDER 35-21
Winner
North Georgia UNG
49-9
5
Final
0
Lander LANDER
35-21
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
North Georgia UNG 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 5 11 0
Lander LANDER 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1

W: Caroline Conner (12-1) L: Schurlknight, Payton (2-2)

Softball Season Ended 2026
Hailey Franklin

Game Recap: Softball | | Hailey Franklin - Assistant Sports Information Director

Lander’s Historic Run Ends One Win Shy of Super Regionals

DAHLONEGA, Ga. - Lander softball saw its historic 2026 season come to an end Saturday evening in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, falling twice to host and No. 1 seed North Georgia at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.

The nationally third-ranked Nighthawks used an explosive offensive performance to defeat the Bearcats 15-6 in the opening game of the regional final before claiming the winner-take-all elimination game, 5-0, to advance to the Super Regionals.

Despite the season-ending losses, the Bearcats closed the year with a 35-21 record and reached the furthest point in NCAA postseason play by any team in Lander athletics history.

In game one, North Georgia wasted no time jumping ahead, plating six runs in the opening inning behind three home runs. The Bearcats answered immediately as senior Bella Angeli launched a three-run homer to cut the deficit in half after the first frame.

Lander continued to battle throughout the afternoon. Samantha Bumgarner drove in a run with an RBI single in the fifth inning, while senior Emily Allen capped the scoring with a two-run homer in the sixth. Allen finished game one 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Angeli went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

The Nighthawks' offense proved difficult to contain, however, totaling 13 hits and drawing eight walks in the contest.

Facing elimination in game two, sophomore pitcher Payton Schurlknight delivered one of the strongest performances of her young career in a high-pressure situation. Entering the day with just 15.1 innings pitched all season, Schurlknight kept the Bearcats within striking distance against one of the nation's top offenses.

The sophomore tossed six innings and battled through constant traffic on the bases before North Georgia added insurance runs late. The Nighthawks scored single runs in the third and sixth innings before a three-run homer in the seventh created the final margin.

Lander threatened offensively throughout the game, recording six hits against the Nighthawks. Allen once again led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 at the plate, while Savanna Price and Emorie Anderson each added doubles.

The Bearcats concluded the season with one of the most successful campaigns in program history, highlighted by the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance, its first NCAA Southeast Regional opening-round victory, and a trip to the Southeast Regional final.
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