AIKEN, S.C. – The No. 13 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team used a six-run fourth inning to erase an early deficit and power past USC Aiken 8-5 in Peach Belt Conference action on Sunday.
USC Aiken struck first with a pair of runs in the third inning, using an RBI single and an RBI groundout to take a 2-0 lead.
The Nighthawks responded decisively in the fourth. Cam Hodge got North Georgia on the board with an RBI single before JD Coleman was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game. Hunter Thompson followed with a two-run double to give North Georgia its first lead, and Jake Prince capped the inning with a two-run double of his own to stretch the advantage to 6-2.
Hodge added to the lead in the fifth with a solo home run to left field, finishing 3 for 4 with three RBI to pace the offense. Thompson and Prince each drove in two runs.
USC Aiken made things interesting in the eighth inning as a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 7-5. North Georgia answered in the ninth when Hodge lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in an insurance run.
Rhaylin Carvajal earned his fifth win of the season, working seven innings while allowing five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Evan Carter recorded his first save of the season, tossing two scoreless innings to close it out.
North Georgia advances to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will face No. 8 seed Middle Georgia on Friday, May 1, at Bob Stein Stadium.
