DAHLONEGA – The No. 8 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team delivered a 16-6 run-rule victory in dramatic fashion over Columbus State on Saturday afternoon to clinch the program's first outright Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Regular Season Championship since 2017.
The Nighthawks (34-10, 24-2 PBC) clinched a share of the regular season title in Friday night's win against Columbus State (23-15, 15-8 PBC). Today, North Georgia capitalized on one of its best scoring days of the season to give the Nighthawks' sole ownership of the championship for the first time nine years.
The Cougars found themselves on the board first after Cayden Evans paid off a leadoff double by Jax Yoxtheimer to give Columbus State an early 1-0 advantage.
A common trait of this North Georgia baseball team this year has been their ability to string together multiple quality at bats in a row. That ability was certainly on display in the bottom of the first, as the Nighthawks answered Columbus State with a six-run inning.
After a pair of leadoff singles by Ben Hamacher and Brady Skipper, another single off the bat of Cam Hodge sent Hamacher home to knot the game 1-1.
Jake Streeter followed up Hodge by drawing a walk to load the bases for Caleb Farr, who cashed in on a two-RBI single to give the Nighthawks their first lead of the day.
With a pair of runners still on, JD Coleman stepped up and blasted his first home run of the day over the right field wall in the first of multiple big at-bats for him.
The Nighthawks built on their lead in the second inning. After the Cougars put two quick outs on the board, Kyle Robitzsch launched a solo homer to right field to cushion UNG's advantage at six.
An RBI double from the Cougars in the top of the third cut the North Georgia lead to five, but the Nighthawks had a big response in the form of Coleman in the bottom of the third.
In front of the Senior Day crowd at Bob Stein Stadium, the senior third baseman crushed his second home run of the day to right field to put North Georgia up by seven and blow the game open.
The Nighthawks' bats stayed hot in the fourth, as they plated four more runs in the inning, highlighted by a pair of scoring singles by Streeter and Hunter Thompson.
The bottom of the fifth inning proved to be another big spot in this series for Robitzsch. After a leadoff walk from Skipper, Robitzsch blasted another home run to centerfield and watched the Nighthawks extend their lead 15-3. The junior catcher had two home runs on the season coming into today; he matched that total to build on one of the best series of his career.
After a 1-2-3 inning by Evan Carter in the top of the sixth, the Nighthawks were unable to score in the bottom frame for the first time of the afternoon.
The Cougars capitalized on the scoreless inning from the Nighthawks, as Landen Jensen sent a home run to left field, bringing Columbus State within 10.
With two outs on the board and a share of the PBC Regular Season Title in the balance, Yoxtheimer stepped up and delivered a solo homer in a full count to cut the lead to single digits.
The Nighthawks, who needed just one more run to capture the title and secure a mercy-rule victory, got what they were looking for in the bottom of the seventh.
Brody Yeomans opened up the bottom frame by taking a swing at the first pitch he saw and made his way to second off his leadoff double.
Robitzsch continued his stellar day, as he roped a single to centerfield to send Yeomans to third and set the stage for Hodge with the game-winning run 90 feet from scoring.
Hodge, who has been responsible for multiple walkoff victories in his first collegiate season of baseball, found himself in another big spot. The freshman designated hitter swung at the first pitch from Trey Farr and watched the ball drift out into centerfield. With plenty of time to spare, Yeomans crossed home plate on the sacrifice fly, and the Nighthawks ambushed Hodge, now champions of the PBC regular season.
The Nighthawks received a balanced effort from the entire lineup, as every starter recorded at least one hit for North Georgia.
Coleman and Robitzsch highlighted the high-scoring victory for the Nighthawks, combining for four home runs, nine RBI and five runs scored. The six RBI from Coleman serves as his new career high for a single game. Over the last two games against Columbus State, Robitzsch is 7-10 at the plate with two home runs, five RBI and five runs scored.
Carter picked up his second win of the season on the mound, working 3.2 innings while only surrendering four hits and two runs.
North Georgia has now locked up its fifth PBC Regular Season Championship in program history and 18th conference-series victory in a row. The Nighthawks can secure their ninth three-game series sweep of the season with a win tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
