DAHLONEGA -- The North Georgia baseball team pulled off a thrilling comeback win over No. 9 Armstrong State, 9-6, Saturday afternoon, using an eight-run seventh inning to erase Armstrong's five-run lead.
The Nighthawks are now 19-9 on the year and move back into second place in the Peach Belt at 13-4.
The Hawks got off to a good start with a three-up, three-down top of the first from Jacob Beauchamp and manufacturing a run in the bottom half of the inning. Connor Hoover started things off with a leadoff single up the middle and advanced second on a great sacrifice bunt from Travis Naraine and went to third on a Steven Tomlinson ground out. Sam Tidaback then came through with a RBI single through the left side to score Hoover and give UNG the 1-0 lead.
After a quick second and third inning, the Pirates (24-6, 13-3 PBC) plated two unearned runs in the fourth aided by a passed ball with the bases loaded. Armstrong added two runs in the fifth on a pair of RBI singles and then two more in the top of the seventh on a RBI walk and hit by pitch, giving ASU a 6-1 lead.
North Georgia found new life in the bottom of the seventh however, scoring eight runs on six hits, highlighted by Tomlinson's three-run blast to left center that pulled UNG within one. The Nighthawks' last four runs of the inning would come off only one hit, with the help of an Armstrong wild pitch and two RBI walks. The UNG rally gave the Nighthawks the 9-6 lead that proved final.
Logan Burt (1-1) collected his first win of the season after recording the last out of the top of the seventh inning and reaping the benefits of UNG's eight run inning as the pitcher of record.
Chris Cobb picked up the two-inning save, his third save of the year, allowing only one hit against the seven batters that he faced.
The Nighthawks will try to take the series against Armstrong tomorrow. First pitch for the rubber match is set for Noon at Bob Stein Stadium.
Friday
September 27th, 2024
9:32PM
