DAHLONEGA — In a game that saw a combined five errors and 15 left on base, the North Georgia baseball team ultimately proved to be the better with a ninth-inning rally to take down in-state foe West Georgia, 7-6, Tuesday evening at Bob Stein Stadium. The Nighthawks advance to 14-12 on the year with the victory.
UNG got on the board first in the bottom of the second innings scoring two runs both off of wild pitches. Each team plated a run in the third with a Tyler Hutch solo homer for West Georgia in the top frame and an unearned run scoring on an error in the bottom frame for North Georgia. The Wolves answered one again with a sacrifice fly to center in the fourth to make it a 3-2 game.
West Georgia took their first lead of the night in the sixth inning with a Garrett Hayes solo shot to right center followed by an RBI double to right by Dalton Rogers gave UWG the 4-3 advantage.
The Wolves extended their lead to 5-3 in the next inning scoring a run on a sacrifice fly to center. North Georgia was quick to respond though in the bottom frame of the inning as Trevor Sams delivered a two-run single left center to once again bring the game to a tie, 5-5.
A wacky play in the top of the eighth allowed West Georgia to retake the lead. With runners on the corners the Nighthawks attempted to pick off Chase Waters at first. The throw down hit Waters in the back as he was sliding back into first base and then got away from UNG first baseman Trevor Sams. A rundown ensued that would lead to the eventual completion of the pick off to retire Waters but before the out was completed Rogers, the runner at third, broke home and scored to put the Wolves back up, 6-5.
After Jacob Jones struck out the side in the top of the ninth, North Georgia's offense would not be denied in their last chance at the plate. Sams started off the inning with a leadoff walk on four straight pitches, advanced to second on a passed ball and then went to third on Steven Tomlinson's single to left. As Ryan Tomita laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Tomlinson into scoring position the UWG pitcher threw the ball down the right field line trying to retire Tomita at first that allowed Sams to come home to tie the game. A Joshua Profit walk loaded the bases and set the stage for Kevin Krupp to deliver a towering fly ball to the warning track in center that would be caught but allowed Tomlinson to waltz in from third and give the Nighthawks the 7-6 victory.
NOTES
- Tonight marked the second walk-off win in 2016 for the Nighthawks. The first came against Columbus State on Feb. 26, when Josh Profit scored on a wild pitch to win the game in extra innings.
- North Georgia snapped a two-game winning streak for the Wolves in the all-time series and improved to 15-4 against West Georgia.
- Gearhart, Tidaback, Sams, Tomlinson and Tomita all had multi-hit games for UNG. Gearhart had season-highs in hits and doubles with two each.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will stroll down to Savannah to step back into league play this weekend with a doubleheader on Friday starting at 11 a.m.
