DAHLONEGA | Though they brought the would-be game-winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, the University of North Georgia baseball team could not pull off the comeback against UNC Pembroke in Friday night's series opener falling, 4-1. It marked the sixth consecutive Peach Belt Conference loss for the Nighthawks after starting league play 4-0.
 
The Braves got on the board first in the top of the second with a solo homer by Hayden Buffkin. UNCP cashed in another run the next inning on a RBI groundout to take a 2-0 lead.
 
Connor Hoover cut the Pembroke lead to one with a towering solo shot down the right field line in the fourth – his first home run of the season – to make it a 2-1 game.
 
Both starters would battle for the next four innings, but Nighthawk ace Brandon Agar would run out of gas in the ninth as a UNC Pembroke rally would extend their lead to 4-1.
 
The Nighthawks got their first two on in the bottom of the ninth and after back-to-back strikeouts Kevin Krupp reached on error to bring the winning run to the plate.
 
Brandon Agar was tagged with the tough-luck-loss tossing 8.1 innings allowing four runs on seven hits and four walks with six strikeouts on the night.
 
North Georgia returns to action tomorrow with a doubleheader slated for a 2 p.m. start at Bob Stein Stadium.