AUGUSTA, Ga. – The No. 30 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team shattered numerous program marks including the runs record in a 31-1 victory at Augusta on Saturday.
UNG's (23-9, 12-2 Peach Belt) 31 runs against the Jaguars (8-25, 5-9 Peach Belt) are the most in a game in program history, breaking the 27-run record that was set back in 2022 against Claflin.
The Nighthawks also recorded the most hits (32) and RBI (29) in a single game in program history. Both records had previously stood since 2008 in a 25-hit, 25-RBI performance against Georgia Southwestern. In that same game the Nighthawks had 43 total bases as a team. That record also did not last on Saturday as the squad racked up a whopping 62 total bases against Augusta.
UNG was able to post this record-breaking performance behind seven home runs in its second consecutive mercy-rule victory. The seven bombs tied a program record from 2017 which also came against Augusta.
Redshirt junior
Phillip Ard tagged three homers in the game including a grand slam in the third inning. Ard's three homers, five hits and nine total runs all tied previous program highs for a single game. His 15 total bases are the new mark for the most in a game in school history.
Senior third baseman
Riley Frost (who was the most recent Nighthawk with five hits in a game back in 2023) had a big game as well going 3-for-5 with a homer and five RBI in the game.
Junior center fielder
Andrews Opata took advantage of the seemingly larger than normal baseball by going 4-for-7 with two home runs, a double, four runs scored and six RBI. Saturday marked the center fielder's second multi-home run game this season and the third of his career.
Senior outfielder
Jorge Arispuro, junior second baseman
Brady Skipper and freshman shortstop
Jake Prince joined Ard, Frost and Opata to make up the six Nighthawk hitters with multiple RBI in the victory.
Prince tied the individual program run record as the rookie touched home plate five times while hitting 3-for-5 with two walks and two RBI.
Skipper was just a home run shy of the cycle as the infielder went 3-for-6 with three runs scored and two RBI.
UNG stood out with video game-like numbers for the second consecutive game against the Jaguars.
11 of the 12 Nighthawk hitters that appeared in the contest reached base at least once. Nine of them recorded three or more hits and eight had at least one extra base hit.
After leading 4-1 in the first inning, UNG exploded for nine runs in both the second and third innings to pull ahead 19-1 after recording just six outs. The team plated multiple runs in six of the seven innings played Saturday.
In a season-high 52 at bats (the most in a game since 2013), the Nighthawks struck out just six times. That's the fourth-fewest in a game this year.
UNG has now out-scored Augusta 47-6 in just 14 innings so far in the series. The team has won 12 of its last 14 games and have been victorious in all six Peach Belt series played to date. It has out-scored PBC opponents 165-73 this year.
The Nighthawks currently lead the PBC in team batting average (.319), runs scored (306), RBI (286), slugging percentage (.477), walks (195), on-base percentage (.432) and OPS (.909). They entered the weekend ranked No. 17 in the country in run scoring this season. None of the 16 teams ahead of them have scored more runs than UNG this weekend.
The Nighthawks will look to add to the already impressive weekend in the series finale against the Jaguars on Sunday, March 30. First pitch in Sunday's showdown is set for 1 p.m.
