DAHLONEGA – Behind a seven-run sixth inning and a complete game from Andrew Duval, the No. 11 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team cruised to a 12-1 series-clinching win over Flagler in seven innings on Sunday afternoon.
The Nighthawks (25-7, 16-2 PBC) were in control from the first pitch, thanks in large part to Duval, who held Flagler to its lowest run total in a game this season.
Much like the first two games of the series, the bats on both sides were quiet in the first inning. It was not until the bottom of the fourth when the Nighthawks broke open the scoreless game with an RBI single to centerfield from Kyle Robitzsch to lead 1-0.
Duval retired the side in the top of the fifth to bring the Nighthawk bats back up. After the Saints picked up a pair of outs, North Georgia got to work with a two-out rally, plating four runs in the process.
A single from JD Coleman and a walk to follow from Hunter Thompson put traffic on the bases for Ben Hamacher to rope a two RBI single to right field and extend the lead to three. The Nighthawks flashed their plate discipline with four-straight walks and a hit by pitch to tack on two more insurance runs.
Duval again easily worked through the top of the Saints' batting order to set North Georgia up for its best inning of the series in the sixth.
Jake Streeter kicked off the frame with a leadoff single, followed by a pair of walks from Thompson and Hamacher to load the bases once again. Brady Skipper paid it off with an RBI single to cushion North Georgia's lead at six.
The Nighthawks continued to find holes in the Saints' pitchers, plating two more runs off a hit by pitch and a wild pitch.
With the bases still loaded, Cam Hodge stepped up and cleared them on a grand slam that gracefully carried over the left-field wall, putting the exclamation point on the run-rule victory.
Duval added on to his undefeated season with his sixth win of the year. The junior from Lexington, S.C. struck out six batters while only surrendering three hits and one run in the complete-game performance. After the top of the first, Duval never faced more than four batters in an inning the rest of the way through.
Skipper and Coleman led the way for North Georgia with a pair of hits each. Coleman wrapped up his best series of the season, finishing the weekend 7-11 at the plate with four runs scored against the Saints.
Hodge accounted for a career-high five RBI in the win, bringing his total to a team-high 43 this season.
George Gilson, AJ Hunerberg and Holden Bradshaw all delivered a hit for Flagler (18-11, 7-8 PBC) in the series finale.
North Georgia will be back in action at Bob Stein Stadium for a midweek matchup against Emmanuel. First pitch is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 24 at 4 p.m.
