DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The No. 29 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team used a six-run fourth inning and a late defensive stand to defeat Embry-Riddle 11-10 Saturday afternoon, securing the series win in a back-and-forth contest.
Embry-Riddle opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a bases-loaded walk, but the Nighthawks answered in the second inning as JD Coleman and Ben Hamacher each drove in a run with RBI singles to give North Georgia a brief lead.
The Eagles responded with three runs in the second and added two more in the third to take a 6-2 advantage after three innings.
North Georgia seized momentum in the fourth, erupting for six runs to reclaim the lead. Hunter Thompson highlighted the inning with a grand slam, while Coleman picked up his second RBI of the game and Caleb Farr added a solo home run as the Nighthawks moved in front, 8-6.
The lead grew in the fifth when Brady Skipper scored on an error and Cam Hodge delivered an RBI single to extend the margin to four runs. Embry-Riddle later cut into the deficit with a two-run home run.
Kyle Robitzsch provided an important insurance run in the eighth inning with an RBI single, pushing the North Georgia lead to 11-8. The Eagles added a run in the bottom of the inning and entered the ninth trailing by two.
Embry-Riddle scored on a wild pitch in the ninth to make it a one-run game before Cole Evilsizor picked off the runner at third base to move the tying run out of scoring position. Evilsizor then struck out the final batter, with Robitzsch completing the play at first, to secure the victory.
North Georgia finished with 16 hits, led by Robitzsch, who went 4-for-5 at the plate. Hamacher added three hits for the Nighthawks.
Kevin Cox started on the mound for UNG, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing six runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Rhaylin Carvajal earned the win in relief after tossing 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits with one walk and one strikeout. Ethan Finch worked 1.2 innings out of the bullpen, allowing one run on three hits.
Evilsizor earned the save, pitching the final 1.1 innings and allowing one run on one hit with two walks and one strikeout.
The Nighthawks wrap up the opening series against ERAU tomorrow (Feb. 1). First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
