UNG comeback falls short versus USC Aiken

AIKEN, S.C. – Trailing by three headed into the final frame, the No. 20 University of North Georgia baseball team pushed two runs across in the ninth and had the tying run 90 feet away before USC Aiken escaped with a 7-6 win Sunday night at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The Nighthawks struck first in the third, scoring on a Pacer error, but USCA answered immediately with three runs in the bottom of the frame. North Georgia responded in the top of the fourth with RBI singles from Crews Taylor and Tim Conway to tie the game up, 3-3.

The Pacers retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI single and doubled their lead by scoring on a wild pitch in the sixth. Jake Arnold cut the lead to 5-4 in the eighth on a RBI double, but USC Aiken hit a RBI double of their own in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs to get to a 7-4 lead going into the ninth.

UNG loaded up the bases with one out on three walks that led to a Brady Eeles sacrifice fly, followed by an Arnold RBI single to cut the lead to one. The Pacers got out of the jam, though, to secure the series win.

NOTES
– Arnold went 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. He was the only Nighthawk with a multi-hit game.
– North Georgia left 12 runners on base.

NEXT UP
UNG will host two midweek games this week, starting with a 2 p.m. first pitch Tuesday against Southern Wesleyan.