DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team completed a three-game series sweep of St. Leo at Bob Stein Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park on Sunday with a 12-9 comeback victory.
For the second consecutive game, the Nighthawks (6-4) rallied from down by multiple runs to leapfrog the Lions (3-7) and come away with a win.
On Friday in the second game of a doubleheader, UNG trailed 5-3 into the seventh inning before charging back. On Sunday the deficit was even larger after a five-run fifth inning gave the Lions a 9-4 lead.
The Nighthawks started the day with a lead after junior center fielder
Andrews Opata reached on an infield single that plated junior right fielder
Edwin Bowman IV.
The lead would not last long however as a two-run homer from St. Leo's Caleb Adams marked the first offense of the game for the Lions and made it 2-1 in the top of the third.
UNG responded in the home half of the frame as freshman second baseman
Jake Prince doubled to right center to score a run, marking the first RBI of Prince's collegiate career.
In his first five career starts since taking over the second base position because of injury, the rookie Prince has impressed many with his hitting ability. He's currently hitting .364 at the plate with four runs scored, two doubles and an RBI.
In the fourth inning, the Lions added two more runs to claim a 4-2 lead.
UNG tied the game in the home half of the inning as the Nighthawks' home run leader from last season
Phillip Ard tagged his third long ball of this season. The redshirt junior clobbered a pitch to left center to bring in Opata and even the contest at 4-4.
St. Leo took a big lead in the next inning after recording a double, single and triple in consecutive at bats to aid a five-run inning to make it 9-4.
With their backs against the wall, the Nighthawks would need a big offensive game again to chase down the Lions.
The comeback effort started well in the bottom of the fifth when Bowman, senior third baseman
Riley Frost and senior catcher
Bryson Stripling all walked with two outs to load the bases. The trio of walks gave way to the most dangerous hitter in the lineup in Opata.
The junior displayed the mark of a great hitter by doing what all great hitters do; he came through in the big moment when everyone expected it. In a 3-2 count, Opata laced a ball to the gap in left center field. With the runners on the move, the knock easily cleared the bases as Opata ended up on third for his first triple of the season. The three-run knock made it 9-7 in the fifth.
After inheriting two runners in the fifth inning, graduate pitcher
Zach Green limited the Lions offense by retiring six of the seven batters he faced in the sixth and seventh innings. Green's steadiness allowed his team to bat in the seventh with still only a two-run deficit.
Trailing 9-7, Frost beat out a grounder to first for a leadoff infield single. Stripling then singled to right to put runners at first and second with no outs.
After a walk to junior shortstop
Jace Bowen loaded the bases, Ard came up to bat with another chance to do damage. He did just that as he belted a ball to right center to bring in two runs and tie the game at 9-9.
Once Ard doubled, St. Leo decided to make a pitching change as the Nighthawks still had two runners in scoring position with only one out. However, it only took one pitch to Robitzsch for the move to be rendered ineffective as the sophomore catcher launched a ball over the left field wall for a three-run bomb.
Robitzsch's opposite field shot was not only his first of the season but the first of his career as well. The round tripper proved to be the difference as UNG held on for the 12-9 victory to clinch the sweep and its first three-game winning streak of the year.
The Nighthawks will now head to the other side of Blood Mountain for a standalone midweek matchup against rival No. 18 Young Harris. First pitch on Tuesday, Feb. 18 takes place at 3 p.m.
