COLUMBUS, Ga. — Junior lefty Daniel McCrary allowed just one run in his more than seven innings of work as the top-ranked University of North Georgia baseball team picked up a pivotal 5-3 win over Columbus State on Saturday at Burger King Stadium. The Nighthawks improve to 31-8 on the year and are now 15-5 in the Peach Belt Conference.
 
UNG took its first lead of the weekend in the bottom of the first as Trevor Sams got the Nighthawks on the board with an RBI single through the left side. Steven Tomlinson made it a 2-0 game in the next inning with a solo homer to left center and Connor Hoover would follow with a two-run blast to right center in the third to give North Georgia a 4-0 advantage.
 
Bill Leroy drove in another run in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly to right to drive in Hoover from third and give North Georgia a 5-0 lead.
 
The Cougars finally answered in the bottom of the sixth, scoring a run off a sacrifice fly. CSU would rally in the bottom of the ninth bringing the tying run to the plate but were only able to score two runs giving the game its final score, 5-3.
 
NOTES
- Daniel McCrary (7-1) picked up the win on the mound allowing just one run on four hits in his 7.1 innings pitched. The Dahlonega native allowed just one walk while striking out six.
 
- Connor Hoover led the team at the plate with a 3-for-5 performance that included a double, a home run, two runs scored, and two runs batted in.
 
- With the win, UNG evens the record between the two programs in games played in Columbus at 9-9.
 
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will look to take the series in the Easter Sunday rubber game. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Ragsdale Field.