DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team split a pair of close games with Lincoln Memorial in a doubleheader at Bob Stein Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park on Saturday.
In the first game, LMU edged out UNG 6-4 in 10 innings in a back-and-forth game that was highlighted by a number of big home runs and late run scoring.
In the second game, the Nighthawks dominated on the scoreboard until the Railsplitters mustered a late rally to make things interesting all the way until the final out.
The two teams will meet for a rare fourth game in the series tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. as UNG looks to win the series with a victory.
Game 1: Railsplitters def. Nighthawks, 6-4 (10 Inn.)
The first inning saw each team get on the board to start what looked like was going to be a high scoring contest.
LMU struck first with a two-run home run from Kasten Harvey against UNG junior starting pitcher
Matthew Heard.
In the bottom of the frame, the Railsplitters sent out left-handed freshman pitcher Jack Santi to make his collegiate debut. Junior center fielder
Andrews Opata kindly welcomed Santi to the show with a solo home run to straight away center field on the very first pitch of Santi's career.
The bomb to center was Opata's first of the season. It will perhaps serve as an indication for what this season can be for the Peach Belt Conference Preseason All-Conference selection. His solo shot was one of numerous baseball's that Opata hit with an unofficial exit velocity greater than 100 mph.
The game remained at 2-1 until the fourth inning when Alex Kowalski hit a solo shot to pad the advantage.
The Nighthawks quickly responded and tied the game in the home half of the frame with back-to-back sacrifice flies from junior second baseman
Brady Skipper and junior right fielder
Edwin Bowman IV.
Another Railsplitter home run, this time from Kevin Fernandez, put LMU back in the driver's seat once more at 4-3 in the fifth inning. Again, UNG responded quickly as redshirt junior first baseman
Phillip Ard poked a single to left field that scored junior shortstop
Jace Bowen to tie the game.
After the fifth, neither team was able to find offense until extra innings.
In the 10th inning, LMU quickly threatened with a lead off walk and subsequent single to put the first two hitters on first and third with nobody out. Both would come home to score in the next at bat on a single up the middle from Kowalski.
UNG had the tying run at the plate in Opata in the bottom of the inning after a two-out double from sophomore catcher
Kyle Robitzsch kept its hopes alive. However, Opata popped out to first to end the game.
Game 2: Nighthawks def. Railsplitters, 8-7
In the second game, the Railsplitters again scored in the first inning after a single from Sam Mast brought Kowalski home.
Opata and the Nighthawks responded in the home half of the frame by capitalizing on some defensive miscues from LMU. First Opata reached base on a walk and then advanced to third after an errant pick off attempt from Railsplitter starter Carter White. He came home to score on a passed ball a few pitches later and tie the game at 1-1.
UNG took its first lead of the game the next inning thanks to a two-run single from senior catcher
Bryson Stripling.
In the fifth, the Nighthawks added another run on a second LMU error as Bowen reached on a ground ball that snuck under the glove of second baseman Archer Wong-Shasteen, allowing Opata to score from second and make it 4-1.
The Nighthawks then broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning. Skipper started the frame with a lead off double to right field. With the bases loaded three batters later, Skipper scored on a fielder's choice from Bowen. With a 5-1 lead, UNG had runners on the corners with two outs.
Ard then walked to load the bases once more. Then it was junior shortstop
Riley Frost who came in clutch as he singled to right field to score Bowen and Stripling.
Robitzsch then singled to left in the next at bat to cap off the scoring and lock in UNG's 8-1 lead.
LMU looked like it was going to let the game quietly slip away until a two-out rally in the eighth inning made things interesting. The Railsplitters got a pair of two-out, two-run singles to bring in four runs and make it 8-5.
Still, the Nighthawks felt comfortable in the ninth inning with a three run lead. They even had the Railsplitters down to their final strike in a 3-2 count with two outs against Chris Hall, but the LMU lead off hitter punched a single to center field.
Then Harvey walked and suddenly the Railsplitters had the tying run at the plate in Kowalski. He roped a double down the left field line to score Hall. Harvey pushed the issue and tried to score from first base leading to a close play at the plate. The throw from Bowen at shortstop just barely beat Harvey to the plate but he slid in under the tag of Stripling to keep the game alive and make it 8-7. With Kowalski in scoring position at second base, LMU was perhaps a base hit away from completing a seven-run comeback and tying the game.
Instead, Kowalski made a poor decision that ultimately led to the final out of the game. He tried to advance on a passed ball that snuck by Stripling, but the LMU first baseman got a bad jump heading to third. Stripling grabbed the ball, turned and fired a laser to third base. All Frost had to do was catch the ball and wait for Kowalski as the throw beat him by about five steps. Frost applied the tag and UNG celebrated its second win of the season.
