DAHLONEGA – In the bottom of the 10th inning, Cam Hodge delivered the game-winning base hit to send the No. 9 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team home with a 4-3 series-clinching win over No. 19 Lander on Sunday afternoon at Bob Stein Stadium.
The series finale started much like games one and two, as neither team was able to plate any runs early. The Nighthawks struck first in the fourth inning on a single to left field from Caleb Farr to score Jake Streeter that gave North Georgia the first lead of the game.
The Bearcats responded in the top of the fifth with a three-run inning. Rhaylin Carvajal, who had come out of the bullpen to replace Andrew Duval on the mound, settled in and weathered the storm as Lander escaped the inning with a 3-1 lead.
In the home-half of the fifth, the batting order flipped back over to Ben Hamacher who knocked a single to left field. Cam Hodge followed that up with a walk to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Kyle Robitzsch.
Down by two, Robitzsch stepped up to the plate and singled to right field, scoring Hamacher from third. Brody Yeomans kept the momentum going with a groundout to shortstop to bring Hodge home and even up the score.
For the next four innings, the score stayed knotted at 3-3. North Georgia and the Bearcats both had opportunities to take the lead and put runners in scoring position in the ninth inning.
In the top half of the ninth, a strikeout from Carvajal put two outs up on the board, but the Bearcats still had a runner in scoring position on third. Carvajal forced Cade Crews into soft contact right to Hamacher, and the Nighthawks picked up the final out to try and walk it off in the bottom of the ninth.
After a pair of flyouts from the Nighthawks, Farr notched his second base-hit of the day and Landon Tate drew a walk to put a pair of runners on base for Streeter. With two outs on the board, Streeter struck out swinging, and the game headed to extras to decide a series winner.
Carvajal continued to excel in the 10th inning, working through four Lander batters and picking up a strikeout to keep the Bearcats from scoring.
In the bottom of the 10th, Hamacher led off the inning with a single to left field. Brady Skipper's bunt advanced Hamacher to second, putting a runner in scoring position for Hodge.
Hodge, who had not recorded a base hit up to this point in the series finale, took a swing at the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the 10th. Hodge connected on a single that landed in the gap in right center field, and the game was over. Hamacher came home, and the Nighthawks stormed Hodge to celebrate the series-clinching win.
Hamacher led the way for North Georgia with a 2-4 performance at the plate while drawing a pair of walks. Farr also picked up a pair of hits in the victory.
Carvajal picked up the win on the mound for the Nighthawks, tossing six-scoreless innings with a season-high five strikeouts.
With the win, the Nighthawks improve to 12-3 overall and 5-1 in Peach Belt Conference (PBC) play.
Lander (9-5, 3-3 PBC) was led by Cooper Backman and Brody Winter with two hits each.
The Nighthawks will look to carry this momentum into their midweek matchup at Montevallo on Tuesday, Feb. 24. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
