Box Score DAHLONEGA | The University of North Georgia baseball team scored two in the first inning and never relinquished the lead in a 4-2 win over Francis Marion Friday night at Bob Stein Stadium. The win marked the program's 600th win since restarting the program in 2001 and pushes UNG to 23-16 overall and 12-13 in Peach Belt Conference play.
 
The Nighthawks jumped on the board early after a leadoff triple by Devin Gearhart, the first of his career. He would come home to score on a Sam Tidaback grounder to third two batters later. After loading the bases with a hit-by-pitch and a walk, Connor Hoover drove home Tidaback on a sacrifice fly to put UNG up, 2-0.
 
After the Patriots got one back in the second, North Georgia reclaimed a two-run lead in the bottom half of the inning. Kevin Krupp led off the inning with a 10-pitch at bat in which he drew a walk. Joshua Profit brought him home on a two-out bunt single down the third-base line to make the score 3-1.
 
Francis Marion answered again in the third with a rally that started with two singles to lead the inning off. JD Crowe came home on a RBI groundout by Logan Koch to cut the UNG lead to 3-2.
 
North Georgia added the game's final run in the fourth inning with Erick Delgado's second home run of the year, a solo shot to left center that brought the game to its final 4-2 score.
 
After the fourth, both Brandon Agar and Fernando Pinillos worked out of multiple jams to keep the game at the 4-2 score, stranding a total of 22 base runners in the contest.
 
NOTES
- The program's 600th win also marks head coach Tom Cantrell's 600th win at UNG. He currently has a record of 600-373 at the university.
 
- Agar (5-3) earned the win in 7.2 innings of work, striking out eight and scattering 11 hits in the process. Zach Verner earned his third save of the season after getting the final two outs of the game, the final by way of the strikeout. Pinillos (5-3) was tabbed with the loss despite throwing a complete game for the Patriots and striking out seven UNG batters.
 
- Delgado and Profit both finished with two hits to lead the Nighthawks at the plate and had two of the three North Georgia RBI.
 
STAT OF THE NIGHT
258 - The starting pitchers combined for 258 pitches tonight with Agar throwing 126 and Pinillos tossing 132.
 
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will look to clinch the season series against the Patriots in tomorrow's 3 p.m. contest.