UNG holds off USC Aiken, 9-7

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AIKEN, S.C. – The University of North Georgia baseball team jumped out quickly before holding on late to defeat USC Aiken Sunday, 9-7.

The Nighthawks struck in the top of the first inning, scoring a run off a Josh Sosa single before adding a pair on a Justin Bailey double to take a 3-0 lead. Crews Taylor kept it going in the second inning with a solo homer that pushed the lead out to four.

Will Hardigree sent two more Nighthawk runs to the scoreboard with a homer in the third before Jorge Arispuro gave UNG a 7-0 lead in the fourth on a RBI single. The Pacers homered in the fourth to get on the board, but Mark Tucker answered that homer in the sixth to push the lead back out to 8-1. After a Hardigree RBI single in the seventh, USC Aiken struck for six runs right after the seventh inning stretch, but North Georgia got out of the inning and held the Pacers scoreless the rest of the way.

NOTES
– Jay Pendley (4-2) earned the win, going five innings and fanning four while allowing just a single run.

– Taylor, Arispuro and Hardigree each had a pair of hits.

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North Georgia will head to Bob Stein Stadium for a three game series with Claflin to wrap the regular season next weekend.UNG