DAHLONEGA | The No. 15 University of North Georgia baseball team split the season-opening doubleheader Saturday afternoon at UNG's Bob Stein Stadium against Valdosta State. The Nighthawks won the first game 4-3 before dropping the nightcap, 10-5.
 
North Georgia and Valdosta State are now 1-1 on the season.

GAME ONE
The Nighthawks got right to it in game one and opened up the scoring with a solo shot off the bat of Devin Gearhart.
 
VSU used the opportunity to overtake the Nighthawks in the sixth with an RBI single and double in consecutive at bats.
 
UNG retaliated in the seventh and capitalized on a miscue in right field that allowed an Erick Delgado single to roll to the wall. With Steven Tomlinson aboard, both he Delgado came all the way around to score on the play, which put North Georgia back on top, 3-2.
 
Valdosta knotted the contest up at 3-3 in the eighth with his first home run of the season.
 
The Blazers nulled a leadoff double by Gearhart in the eighth with a pickoff, but a hit batsman (Sam Tidaback) and a single by Trevor Sams set the stage for the deciding run, as Tidaback advanced to third on a passed ball and came in to score on a wild pitch.
 
GAME TWO
The Blazer bats came alive early in the day's second contest, starting with a two run shot in the first.
 
Tidaback cut into the Blazers' lead in the bottom half of the first with a solo long ball, VSU padded the Blazer lead in the third with the Blazers' second homer of the game, a two-run blast to center field.
 
The power surge continued in the fifth, thanks to a solo shot to left and the insurance run proved to be a critical one, as the Nighthawks posted a five-run fifth inning to cut the Blazers' advantage to a single run at 6-5. 
 
Valdosta drove in an additional four runs over the final three innings to provide all the cushion needed to pick up the win.
 
NOTES
- Valdosta State still leads the all-time series 7-5 over the Nighthawks. The Blazers have also won five out of seven at Bob Stein Stadium.
 
- North Georgia won its first season-opening game since 2011 on Saturday. UNG defeated Mars Hill on opening day five years ago 7-6.
 
- Six home runs were hit in the doubleheader, two of which were hit by the Nighthawks. Devin Gearhart took his first pitch of the day to left-center field in the first game, and Sam Tidaback hit one down the left field line in the first inning of the nightcap.
 
- Trevor Sams and Tidaback both went 3-for-8 on the day. Tidaback had three RBI and two runs scored, and Sams had 2 RBI and two doubles.
 
- Chris Cobb earned the win in the first game, throwing an inning of relief. Brandon Agar threw six strong innings, giving up two runs off four hits and striking out six. Avery Greer got the save as he struck out the final two batters of the game.
 
- Steven Bower was credited with the loss in the second half of the doubleheader after giving up three runs off four hits in two innings of work.
 
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks welcome Carson-Newman to Dahlonega for a three-game set starting Fri., Feb. 5 at 3:00 p.m.