DAHLONEGA – Despite a valiant comeback effort in the middle innings, the No. 11 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team dropped the opening game of its Peach Belt Conference series against Flagler 6-4 on Friday night. 

After a scoreless first two innings, the Saints struck first in the top of the third with an RBI single to left field to break open the scoring. Flagler took advantage of a sacrifice fly and an error from the Nighthawks' infield to bring home three more runs and extend the advantage to four. 

Dylan Holbrook steered the momentum back in North Georgia's favor, working through just seven Saint batters to retire the side in the top of the fourth and fifth. 

The Nighthawks got to work in the bottom of the fifth with a single from JD Coleman and a pair of walks from Jake Streeter and Cam Hodge to load the bases. North Georgia got on the board after Ben Hamacher lifted a sacrifice fly to right to send Hodge home and cut the lead to three. 

Brady Skipper kept the game rolling for UNG with a two RBI double, bringing North Georgia within one.  

A three up, three down from Holbrook in the top of the sixth brought the Nighthawk bats back up in the bottom frame. A leadoff walk from Brody Yeomans set the stage for Hodge to connect on his second base knock of the evening to send Yeomans home and tie the game 4-4. 

The Saints threatened to retake the lead in the top of the eighth, putting a runner in scoring position at second. With one out on the board, Coleman saw a line drive come his way at third. The senior third baseman made a leaping grab to get the lead runner out and fired the ball to first base to convert on a big double play and close out the top of the frame. 

The Saints had a big answer in the ninth, stringing together three-straight hits to recapture the lead 5-4. Flagler continued to fight with another RBI single to extend the advantage to two.  

Schley Gordy led off the bottom of the ninth with a rope up the left-field line for a double, but that would serve as the final base knock of the game, as the Nighthawks' comeback bid fell just short. 

Coleman and Hodge both logged a pair of hits for the Nighthawks, combining for half of North Georgia's hit total on the night. 

The Saints were led by Taylor Shultz at the top of the order with three hits and two runs scored. 

North Georgia (23-7, 14-2 PBC) looks to even up the series tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at Bob Stein Stadium.