BLUFFTON, S.C. – The No. 13 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team used a four-inning stretch and strong pitching out of the bullpen to defeat USC Beaufort 8-3 in the Peach Belt series opener Friday night, extending its winning streak to six games.

The Nighthawks broke through in the fourth inning with three runs to take control early. Caleb Farr started the scoring with an RBI double to right field that plated Brady Skipper for a 1-0 lead. Kyle Robitzsch followed with an RBI single to center that scored Farr, and Schley Gordy capped the inning with an RBI single to left that brought home Robitzsch to make it 3-0.

USC Beaufort answered in the bottom half of the inning on a solo home run to cut the deficit to 3-1.

North Georgia added two more runs in the fifth as Robitzsch delivered again, singling to drive in Farr and Ben Hamacher and push the lead to 5-1.

The Sand Sharks trimmed the lead to two with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly and an RBI single.

The Nighthawks responded in the sixth inning when Hamacher singled to right field to score Jake Prince and extend the lead to 6-3. North Georgia added two insurance runs in the seventh after a failed pickoff attempt and error allowed Gordy and Farr to score.

Robitzsch paced the North Georgia offense with a 2-for-4 performance and three RBI, while eight different Nighthawks recorded hits in the contest. Brody Yeomans added a hit to extend his hitting streak to nine games.

On the mound, Rhaylin Carvajal earned the win to improve to 4-0 after allowing three runs on five hits over five innings. Ethan Finch was dominant in relief, tossing four scoreless innings while striking out six to secure his first save of the season.

North Georgia looks to clinch the series in game two Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. in Bluffton.