DAHLONEGA – The No. 8 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team surrendered a big sixth inning and couldn't complete the comeback Sunday afternoon, falling 14-8 to Columbus State in the Peach Belt Conference series finale at Bob Stein Stadium.

Columbus State struck first on a solo home run in the top of the first inning, but the Nighthawks answered immediately. Kyle Robitzsch lifted a sacrifice fly to right, bringing home Brady Skipper to even the score at 1-1.

The Cougars regained the lead in the third on an RBI groundout before adding a solo homer in the fourth to stretch the advantage to 3-1. After a quiet fifth, Columbus State broke the game open in the sixth, plating six runs on three hits, highlighted by a two-run single from Jackson Chizek and a two-run double from Evans to make it 9-1.

North Georgia began to chip away in the seventh when Cam Hodge launched a three-run homer to right field, cutting the deficit to 9-4. The Cougars responded with three runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth to extend the lead to 14-5.

The Nighthawks showed late fight, however, as Hunter Thompson blasted a solo home run in the eighth before Jake Streeter capped the scoring with a three-run homer in the ninth.

Thompson led North Georgia at the plate with a 4-for-5 performance and an RBI. Robitzsch went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Hodge and Streeter each drove in three runs.

Andrew Duval (8-1) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. Chandler Thiel and Cohen Rogers combined to allow eight runs in relief.

The loss wraps up Peach Belt Conference play at home for the Nighthawks. North Georgia returns to action April 14, hosting Anderson at Bob Stein Stadium.