DAHLONEGA | The University of North Georgia baseball team used clutch hitting to take down No. 20 Lander, 5-4, Saturday evening at Bob Stein Stadium. The Nighthawks advance to 18-14 on the year with a 9-11 mark in the Peach Belt Conference.
 
After UNG left four runners on in the first two innings, the Nighthawks plated two runs in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly from Steven Tomlinson followed by an RBI single to left center by Joshua Profit.
 
Zach Daly hit his first of two home runs on the night with a two-run shot to left in the fifth to even the game at 2-2. North Georgia answered immediately in the bottom frame of the inning with run producing singles from Sam Tidaback and Trevor Sams plating two, then Ryan Tomita provided a sacrifice fly to left that put UNG up, 5-2.
 
The Bearcats picked up a pair of runs in the seventh with Daly's second home run of the night along with a two-out RBI single up the middle by Alex Conaway that closed the Nighthawk lead to one. Taylor Keinat and Zach Verner combined for 2.2 innings of shutout ball to close out the game and give UNG the 5-4 win.
 
NOTES
- Steven Bower (4-2) picked up the victory going 5.0 innings allowing two runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Sam Linn (4-1) was tagged with the loss for Lander, allowing all five North Georgia runs on 11 hits. 
 
- Zach Verner picked up his first career save sitting down the Bearcats in order in the ninth, including one strikeout.
 
- Sam Tidaback, Trevor Sams, and Joshua Profit all had multi-hit nights for the Nighthawks. Each player picked up one RBI on the evening as well.
 
- The UNG victory not only evened the weekend series, but it also brought the all-time series back to a tie at 16-16.
 
NEXT UP
The three-game set will come to a close tomorrow with the finale set for a 1 p.m. start.