DAHLONEGA | A five-run inning in the fourth was key in No. 20 Lander's 6-5 win over the University of North Georgia baseball team Sunday afternoon at Bob Stein Stadium, giving the Bearcats the series victory. UNG slips to 18-15 overall with a 9-12 mark in the Peach Belt Conference.
Lander got on the board first in the top of the third inning with a solo homer by Matt White, but the Nighthawks answered in the bottom half of the inning plating three runs off of a
Connor Hoover two-run shot to right center and scoring another run on a LU throwing error that gave UNG a 3-1 lead.
The game was ultimately decided in the fourth when the Bearcats scored five runs off four hits to retake the lead, 6-3.
North Georgia chipped away at the Lander lead scoring a run in the fifth on a Devin Gearheart RBI single and another in the sixth on
Joshua Peterson's solo shot to right. UNG put runners on scoring position in the seventh and again in the ninth, but couldn't find a timely hit to tie the game up.
NOTES-
Daniel McCrary (2-3) was tagged with the loss going 3.0 innings allowing four runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Andrew Reardon (2-0) got the win in relief going 4.2 allowing just one run on four hits. Brandon White picked up his eighth save of the season holding on to win in the ninth.
- The Nighthawks out hit the Bearcats 12-8 in the contest. It is just the second time this year that UNG has lost a game in which it out hit its opponent (16-2). Four Nighthawks had multiple hits in the game.
- Lander retakes the all-time lead over North Georgia that now stands at 17-16.
NEXT UPNorth Georgia will step out of conference play on Wednesday for a midweek contest against Southern Wesleyan. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Bob Stein Stadium.
