OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – In their first trip to the NCAA Division II Championship since 2009, the UIndy softball team won a thrilling 1-0 decision versus sixth-ranked North Georgia Thursday afternoon.  Junior pitching ace Morgan Foley twirled a no-hitter for the Greyhounds, holding the talented UNG bats to an 0-for-19 showing at the plate.
 
The win sets up a showdown with another nationally-ranked team in No. 24 Shorter University, who defeated seventh-ranked St. Mary's (Texas), 4-2, earlier today.  The second-round match-up is scheduled for tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET.  The eight-team, double-elimination NCAA Division II Championships are being held at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla., May  21-25.  Check the tournament homepage for coverage links.

Less than 24 hours after being named to the NFCA All-America First Team, Foley was dominant in her NCAA Championship debut.  The Louisville, Ky., native racked up 10 strikeouts against only two walks while only one UNG base runner reached second.  It marked the second no-no for Foley this season and the third in her career. 

Just as at the Super Regional last week, the Greyhounds faced one of the top pitchers in the nation in Courtney Poole.  Recently named the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II Player of the Year, Poole held the Hounds scoreless for the first five frames but couldn't prevent the eventually game-winning run from crossing in the top of the sixth.

Senior Casey Williamson started the inning with a leadoff double, dropping a 3-2 pitch just off the glove of the sliding UNG center fielder.  Fellow-senior Taylor Russell followed with a knock to center, scoring Williamson while upping her school-record RBI total to 65.

The Nighthawks would not go quietly, however, as senior Kim McMillan coaxed a leadoff walk in the seventh.  She advanced to second base on a sac bunt to put a North Georgia runner in scoring position for the first time all day.

But after battling Foley in an 11-pitch at bat, UNG clean-up hitter Ansley Phillips hit a screamer right at UIndy first baseman Natalie Lalich, who alertly snagged the ball and fired to shortstop Tayler Weck for the 3-6 game-ending double play.

Earlier in the game, catcher Jenny Thompson helped her pitcher out by gunning down a pair of would-be base stealers at second.  Both runners reached on an error but were unable to advance passed first base.

Russell finished 2-for-3 on the day as the only Greyhound with more than one hit.  Sydney Russell and Erika Goodwin each added a single, while Williamson's two-bagger in the sixth was good for the day's lone extra-base knock.

Poole, meanwhile, endured just her fourth loss of the season, dropping to a still-impressive 42-4.  She and her teammates will face St. Mary's (Texas) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in the tournament's first elimination contest.