CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The No. 11 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team suffered an extra-inning loss to No. 20 Saginaw Valley State (SVSU) in its first game of the 2025 NCAA Division II Softball Championship at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn. Thursday afternoon.

In its first game in the NCAA Softball Championship since winning the 2023 National Championship at the same site two years prior, the fourth-seeded Nighthawks were unable to overcome a late run from the fifth-seeded Cardinals on Thursday.

SVSU jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning with an RBI single from Olivia Elliot to make it 1-0.

However, UNG quickly responded with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning when freshman catcher Carleigh Knowles zipped a double down the left field line to score runners from second and third. 

The Nighthawks held the one-run lead until the third inning when Mya Purdy singled through the left side with two outs to score another run for the Cardinals and tie the game.

The game remained tied until the UNG offense struck again in the fourth inning.

With runners at second and third and one out, sophomore third baseman Journey Roberts laid down a squeeze bunt to score a run. SVSU made the out at first base to record the second out. 

Junior center fielder Sydnee Reaves then stepped to the plate and laced a double to right center to score freshman pinch runner Kayla Berry from third base, giving the Nighthawks a 4-2 edge.

The lead would not hold for long before the Cardinals tied the game in the top of the fifth with a pair of sacrifice flies to tie the game.

With the game still tied in the top of the sixth, senior pitcher Angelina Badalament took over in the circle for junior Chloe Poss. 

SVSU eventually loaded the bases with two outs against Badalament, but the veteran pitcher escaped the jam with a ground out as senior shortstop Rylie Moody made a game-saving stop up the middle and flip to the bag to get the runner headed for second base. 

Neither team was able to score in the sixth or seventh innings, sending the game into extras.

The Cardinals quickly took advantage of the new opportunity with a single, walk and single to score the go-ahead run with one out. 

Two more one-out singles added a pair of runs to make it 7-4 SVSU going into the bottom of the eighth inning.

UNG was retired in order in the eighth inning, ending the game with a three-run loss.

The Nighthawks will now face eighth-seeded No. 9 Western Washington in an elimination game Saturday, May 24 at 11 a.m. Should they win that game, they will advance to another elimination game later on Saturday at 4 p.m. against the loser between SVSU and top-seeded No. 1 UT Tyler.

The Nighthawks will need to win four games this weekend to advance to the championship series May 27-28.