AUGUSTA, Ga. – The No. 12 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team never trailed on its way to an 8-2 victory in a series-clinching win on Saturday afternoon against Augusta.
The Nighthawks found themselves on the board first in the opening frame, taking advantage of some defensive miscues by the Jaguars and an RBI single from Kyle Robitzsch to take an early 1-0 lead.
North Georgia expanded on its lead in the third with a pair of runs, highlighted by an RBI single to right from Caleb Farr.
A three up, three down from Kevin Cox set the Nighthawks up for another two-run inning in the fourth. Back-to-back base knocks from Hunter Thompson and Ben Hamacher set the stage for a sacrifice fly from Brody Yeomans to build the lead to four. Cam Hodge kept things rolling with a single to right to send Hamacher home, and the Nighthawks left the inning with a 5-0 advantage.
Farr tacked on another run in the top of the fifth to cushion the lead a bit more, but the Jaguars found some life up to bat in the home half of the inning with two runs to cut the lead to four.
After a scoreless next three innings, the Nighthawks found their rhythm again in the top of the ninth. North Georgia again pushed its advantage to six off the bats of Jake Prince and Hamacher with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to centerfield to head into the bottom of the inning with an 8-2 lead.
Chandler Thiel put the nail in the coffin in the bottom frame with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to retire the side and secure the series victory.
Hamacher and Farr led the Nighthawks (27-8, 18-2 PBC) at the plate, as both players went 3-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Saturday's win served as the 14th time this season at least two Nighthawks have recorded three hits in the same game.
Cox improved to 6-1 on the season, only surrendering five hits and two runs while recording four strikeouts during his seven innings of work on the bump.
The Nighthawks look to lock up the sweep tomorrow afternoon in the series finale. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Jaguars Field.
