DAHLONEGA – The No. 10 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team used an eight-strikeout performance from Matthew Heard and a trio of homers to secure a 4-2 victory over Georgia Southwestern in the series opener on Thursday night. 

Tonight's matchup was expected to be a pitcher's duel between Heard and Evan Koehler. After only letting up two home runs all season, the Nighthawks broke through for three in the win against Koehler. 

After a scoreless first two innings, Georgia Southwestern struck first with an RBI groundout to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. 

The Nighthawks had a big answer in the bottom frame, as Brady Skipper launched a solo home run for the second-straight game to even up the score. 

Heard retired the side in the top of the fourth to set up Jake Streeter for a leadoff home run moments later to retake the lead. 

North Georgia rode its two-run lead through the fifth, until the Hurricanes struck with a homer of their own to cut the lead back to one. 

Heard got back on track in the seventh, working through the middle of the Hurricanes' lineup to keep them off the board in the inning. 

The Nighthawks found their cushion in the home half of the seventh, as Hunter Thompson joined the home-run party with a solo shot to lead off the inning and put North Georgia in the driver's seat 4-2. 

A 1-2-3 inning from Heard in the top of the eighth set the stage for the PBC Pitcher of the Week Dylan Holbrook to close out the game in the ninth. 

With one out, the Hurricanes threatened with runners on first and second, looking to extend the game into the bottom of the ninth. In a pivotal moment, Ben Hamacher fielded a ground ball cleanly and flipped it to Skipper at second, who fired to Thompson at first, as the Nighthawks turned a game-ending double play to seal the victory. 

Heard clinched the sixth win of his senior season with another stellar outing, recording eight strikeouts while only surrendering two runs off eight hits. 

Thompson led the charge for the Nighthawks at the plate with a double and his fifth homer of the season. The Evans, Ga. native has recorded a hit in six-straight games, with half of them being multi-hit outings. 

Drake Harman's 3-4 performance at the plate highlighted the night on offense for Georgia Southwestern (18-18, 11-8 PBC). 

North Georgia (29-9, 20-2 PBC) will try to lock up the series win tomorrow night at Bob Stein Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.