Weekend Preview: The University of North Georgia baseball team will open Peach Belt Conference play this weekend when they welcome Flagler to Bob Stein Stadium this weekend.
Probable Starters (Based on Last Weekend): Friday - Derick Garcia vs. Cade Heil; Saturday - Robert Girgis vs. Steven Bower; Sunday - Jeff Walsh vs. Derrick Pickvet
Rankings: North Georgia is receiving votes in the preseason Collegiate Baseball Poll released back in December. The next poll will come out near the beginning of March.
Nighthawks on the Web: Links for the weekend series can be found above. Fans can also follow the action through Twitter by following the baseball team (@UNGBaseball).
Last Week: North Georgia dropped two of three against No. 15 Southern Indiana last weekend.
Scouting Flagler: Flagler has opened the season 6-6 on the year and are 1-2 in PBC action. The Saints won the series finale at Francis Marion last weekend before falling to Embry-Riddle Tuesday afternoon. The UNG series will be the final three games of a seven-game road trip for FC. The Saints were picked to finish in sixth place in the league after finishing in the same position last year. Flagler was one spot behind North Georgia in the preseason poll. Flagler leads the all-time series, 15-14, and has won three straight after North Georgia had won four in a row. The Saints swept the Nighthawks a year ago in St. Augustine. UNG is 9-7 inside Bob Stein Stadium against Flagler.
Stat Leaders: Parker Morrison has the fourth lowest ERA in the league, sporting a 1.93 ERA in his five appearances this season. He also has struck out 18 batters, tied for eighth most in the league, and has the most saves in the conference with four. Conner Corbitt leads the Peach Belt in home runs with five after hitting four last weekend against Southern Indiana. Josh Profit is tied for ninth in the league with four stolen bases.
PBC Team Stats: UNG leads the PBC in home runs with 15 on the year. The Nighthawks also lead the PBC in extra base hits, tallying 39 in the first nine games of the year. The Nighthawk pitching staff sports the second lowest ERA in the conference at 3.33, just nine points behind Francis Marion. UNG has allowed the least runs, both total and earned, while walking the fewest batters out of any team in the league.
