DAHLONEGA – Nolan Belcher was named Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year, and eight players from University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball earned all-conference honors, the league announced Thursday.
In his first season at the helm, Belcher guided the Nighthawks to a 38-12 overall record and a 26-4 mark in conference play. North Georgia secured its second consecutive PBC championship and its first outright league title since 2017. Belcher becomes just the second coach in program history to earn the honor, joining former head coach Tom Cantrell, who won the award five times.
North Georgia placed three players on the All-PBC First Team.
Ben Hamacher led the conference with 80 hits while batting .379, which ranked eighth in the league. He also stole 20 bases, tied for eighth in the PBC, and started all 50 games for the Nighthawks.
Kyle Robitzsch paced the team with a .392 batting average, good for third in the conference, and ranked third in on-base percentage at .502. He added 48 RBI while starting all 45 games he appeared in.
On the mound, Matthew Heard posted a 7-1 record with a 4.01 ERA across 11 starts and one relief appearance. He logged 74 innings, struck out 72 batters, fourth in the conference, and recorded one complete game.
Six Nighthawks earned Second Team All-PBC recognition.
Cam Hodge ranked second in the conference with 66 RBI and 12 home runs, while finishing third in walks with 36 across 47 appearances.
JD Coleman hit .299 with 32 hits and 25 RBI in 31 games, making 30 starts.
Jake Streeter batted .311 with 50 hits, including 11 home runs and 16 doubles. His 11 homers tied for third in the conference, and his .615 slugging percentage ranked fourth.
Brady Skipper started all 47 games he appeared in, batting .307 with 55 hits and 34 RBI. He also totaled 20 stolen bases on the season, tying for most on the team.
Andrew Duval went 8-2 on the mound, tying for the conference lead in wins, while posting a 3.67 ERA, fourth-best in the league. He made 12 starts, tossing 68.2 innings with 63 strikeouts.
Kevin Cox compiled a 6-1 record with a 4.52 ERA over 11 starts and one relief appearance. He struck out 39 batters in 61 2/3 innings and issued just eight walks, the fewest in the conference.
The Nighthawks look to carry their regular-season success into postseason play as they face Middle Georgia Friday afternoon in game one of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament.
