Week Preview: The No. 12 University of North Georgia baseball team will look to bounce back after a 2-3 week last week as they battle Augusta to start an eight-game homestand.
Probable Starters (Based on previous outings): Friday - Charlie Cochran vs. Steven Bower; Saturday - Christian Griffin vs. Derrick Pickvet; Sunday - TBA vs. Cade Heil.
Rankings: North Georgia is No. 12 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Poll released Monday. Other teams in the Southeast Region that are ranked are No. 5 North Greenville, No. 8 Catawba, No. 14 Mount Olive and No. 18 Columbus State. USC Aiken is currently receiving votes in teh poll
Nighthawks on the Web: Available links can be found above and on the baseball schedule page and above. Fans can also follow the action through Twitter by following the baseball team (@UNGBaseball).
Last Week: North Georgia went 2-3 last week, splitting with No. 25 West Florida before dropping two of three to Georgia College in PBC play. It is the first Peach Belt series that the Nighthawks have not won this season.
Scouting Augusta: Augusta is 14-12 on the year and 4-11 in league play. Most recently, the Jags defeated Anderson on the road, 12-6, Wednesday afternoon. AU has a series win over UNC Pembroke back near the beginning of the season, but have lost series to Francis Marion, Georgia Southwestern, Columbus State and Flagler. North Georgia is 27-10 against Augusta all-time and have won seven straight in the series, including sweeps in each of the previous two seasons. North Georgia is 15-4 inside the friendly confines of Bob Stein Stadium against the Jags.
PBC Stats and Standings: Chase Sudduth is currently riding a 15-game hitting streak and has the eighth-best batting average in the league, hitting .376. Conner Corbitt is tied for fourth in homers with six on the year. Parker Morrison ranks second in the league in ERA at 1.76, tied for fifth in the conference in strikeouts with 45 and is second in the PBC in saves with six. The UNG pitching staff has the second lowest ERA at 3.90 while giving up the least number of walks this season and the second fewest runs. North Georgia currently sits in sixth in the PBC but are just one game out of first, currently held by USC Aiken.
