FLORENCE, S.C. - Jumping out to a 7-0 lead, the University of North Georgia baseball team hit four long balls, including two by Crews Taylor, to beat Francis Marion, 12-5, Saturday afternoon.

The Nighthawks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with a grand slam from Jake Arnold in the top half of the first. Taylor came around again in the second inning to hit a solo homer on the first pitch he saw to give UNG a 5-0 lead. Two batters later, it was Bill LeRoy hitting a bomb to left field on a full count pitch, plating Tim Conway in the process to push the lead up to 7-0.

FMU scratched a run across in the fifth, but North Georgia answered with Taylor's second homer of the day in the eighth inning. After the Patriots found two in the eighth, the Nighthawks book ended the game with another four-run inning, walking in two and using a Jake Howard RBI single to plate the other two. Francis Marion got two in the final frame of the game to get to the final score.

NOTES
- The 1-5 hitters for UNG went 10-for-20 with 10 runs scored, nine RBI and six walks.

- Steven Bower (3-1) got the win with 7.1 innings of work, fanning eight along the way.

- North Georgia has now won five straight series against FMU.

NEXT UP
The series finale will be tomorrow at 1 p.m. as UNG goes for the sweep.