Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (8-3) earned back-to-back wins over nationally ranked teams on the road Saturday, defeating No. 9 North Georgia (7-2), 3-2, and No. 25 Wingate (7-2), 2-1.
 
The Sharks entered the day with several big offensive showings on their schedule, but won Saturday with defense and pitching. Shark ace Rebecca Thornton (So., Lodi, Calif.) (7-0) pitched two complete games over 13 innings. Collectively, she allowed just two earned runs and five hits. Only one of those hits came against the Wingate Bulldogs. She had six strikeouts on the day, bringing her season total to 18.
 
Against No. 9 North Georgia
The Sharks blanked the Nighthawks for the first four innings of the game, but were held scoreless themselves until a breakout fourth frame. Dakota Villella (So., Hollywood, Fla.) earned the team's second hit with a leadoff single to third base. Katrina Ammons (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.) batted her over to third on an infield single and was pinch run by Courtney Bridge (Sr., Port Coquitlam, British Columbia).
 
Maegan Lee (So., Miami, Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Villella. After a Thornton walk, senior Shelby Cogan (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) recorded the team's biggest hit of the day, an RBI single up the middle that scored both Thornton and Bridge. The hit gave NSU just enough to hold onto the lead for the remainder of the game.
 
The top-10 Nighthawks made a push to crack NSU's lead in the fifth with a pair of runs. Jessica Finch hit a two-out single that scored both of her team's runs. But catcher Angilica Montalvo (Fr., Miami, Fla.) gunned her down at second base to end the inning.
 
The Nighthawks earned one-out hits in the sixth and seventh innings, but did not rally against the road-strong Sharks.
 
Against No. 25 Wingate
Once again, NSU only needed one inning of work to defeat a nationally ranked opponent. Thornton no-hit the Bulldogs over the course of the first five innings, but did not get any offensive support. Prior to the sixth inning, NSU had two hits, one of which came from Thornton herself.
 
The Bulldogs scored on a double to right field in the sixth, putting the Sharks in a hole for the first time Saturday. They would immediately answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Villella again sparked the rally with a leadoff double. Te Reo Powhiri Matautia (Jr., Aukland, New Zealand) got on base and reached third on a throwing error that also scored Villella, tying the game.
 
Lee bunted to the pitcher and reached base on a fielder's choice. With runners on the corners, the Sharks successfully pulled off the double steal to take the lead. NSU stranded a runner in scoring position, but Thornton needed only four pitches to seal the win in the seventh.
 
The Sharks will move on the Monday's doubleheader at Trevecca Nazarene, slated to start at 2 p.m.