DAHLONEGA -- The North Georgia baseball team came up just short in their ninth inning rally against Pfeiffer on Saturday afternoon, falling 5-4. UNG is now 1-2 on the year.<br />
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The Nighthawks loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning, down by two runs when Bo Edwards sent a ball high and deep to straight away center, but a catch up against the wall by Falcons centerfielder Jordan Eckard turned a would-be walk off into a sacrifice fly that still left North Georgia a run short of tying Pfeiffer.<br />
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UNG struck first with a three-run second inning that saw Connor Hoover pick up his first collegiate hit with a RBI double to left center that scored Edwards. Cameron Crawford stepped up next and smacked a two-run blast down the left field line to give the Nighthawks a 3-0 lead.<br />
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Pfeiffer didn't waste any time answering the call though as Izzy Perez sent a leadoff home run over the center field wall. Later in the inning Eckard would come into score on a single to left and Connor Baldy crossed the plate on an Anthony Allende double to left center. Allende came in to score on a passed ball that put the Falcons on top, 4-3.<br />
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PU added a fifth run in the fourth when Baldy hit a triple into the gap in right center that scored Perez from first.<br />
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North Georgia threatened a few times, leaving multiple runners on base in the fifth, seventh and ninth innings.<br />
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Dylan Peppers (0-1) was charged with the loss, going 5.0 innings allowing six hits, five runs, four earned with two walks and 10 strikeouts. Phillip Taylor threw three near perfect innings for UNG, allowing one runner by way of a throwing error.<br />
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Tyler Lequire (1-0) got the win in relief for Pfeiffer, while Kyle Hackney picked up his second save of the year.<br />
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The two teams will meet in the rubber game tomorrow with first pitch set for 1 p.m., at Bob Stein Stadium.
