UNG holds off USC Aiken, 9-7
Press Release April 25, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
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.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will head to Bob Stein Stadium for a three game series with Claflin to wrap the regular season next weekend.UNG
UNG falls to USC Aiken, 5-3
Press Release April 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
AIKEN, S.C. – The University of North Georgia baseball team fell Friday night at the hands of USC Aiken, 5-3.
The Pacers jumped out of the gates quickly, putting up three runs in the bottom of the first inning. USCA scored on two sacrifice flies and an infield single to take the early advantage. North Georgia answered in the fifth as Josh Sosa sent a ball over the left field wall, scoring two to cut the lead down to 3-2.
USC Aiken matched Sosa in the bottom of the fifth with a two run homer of their own to stretch the lead back out to three runs, but North Georgia responded in the seventh, scoring on a Crews Taylor RBI double. That was all UNG could find though as the Pacers took the series opener.
NOTES
– North Georgia left 16 runners on base and struck out 12 times, five of which were to end an inning.
– Pierce Williams (4-3) was saddled with the loss, going 5.2 innings while surrendering five runs off seven hits. The Nighthawk bullpen of Pete Weil, Caleb Mitchell and Jacob Lassiat held the Pacers to just four base runners off three hits and a walk over the final 2.1.
NEXT UP
The two teams meet again tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m.
West Florida outlasts Nighthawks, 8-6
Press Release April 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia baseball team fell in the final game of a midweek series to West Florida Wednesday afternoon, 8-6.
The Nighthawks jumped out in front in the first inning on a Jorge Arispuro sacrifice before a RBI single from Justin Bailey in the second doubled the lead. West Florida answered by tying the game up in the third inning on a two run homer. Neither team could scratch the scoreboard until the sixth when the Argonauts used a RBI single to take a 3-2 lead.
North Georgia tied it up in the bottom of the sixth when Will Hardigree hit a double to center field that plated the tying run. UWF retook the lead in the seventh inning on a bases loaded walk, but again the Nighthawks tied it up in the eighth on a Hardigree sacrifice fly. The Argos took control in the ninth, scoring four runs in the inning, but UNG had some fight left as Crews Taylor hit a two run homer to cut the lead down to 8-6. The Nighthawks got the tying run aboard, but West Florida got out of the inning to earn a split.
NOTES
– Bailey finished the day 3-for-3 at the plate, while Hardigree was 2-for-3 in the batter’s box.
– The split was the second in a row in the all-time series, matching the 2019 schedule which was the last time the two teams met.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will open a three game series at Augusta Friday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Nighthawks walk off West Florida, 7-6
Press Release April 13, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The University of North Georgia baseball team needed a run in the 10th to extend the game before walking it off in the 11th as they took down West Florida Tuesday night, 7-6.
North Georgia got on the board first with a two run homer from Crews Taylor that sailed over the netting in right field. UNG kept it going in the third with a Josh Sosa RBI double down the line in left that extended the lead to 3-0. After West Florida scored five in the fourth to take a 5-3 lead, Sosa kept his hot bat going in the bottom of the fifth, hitting his first collegiate homer over the wall in left center to tie the game at 5-5.
Neither team could find a run in the rest of the regulation innings, forcing extra frames. West Florida found a run in the 10th inning, using small ball to move a runner around and home on a RBI single, but the Nighthawks answered in the bottom of the inning, moving Jake Arnold around after he reached on an error to tie the game. UNG loaded up the bases in the 11th, setting up Tim Conway for his second walkoff in five days, a single into left field to end the game.
NOTES
– Caleb Mitchell (3-0) got the win in relief, getting the Nighthawks out of the inning in the 11th unscathed.
– Sosa went 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and a run scored. Conway, Jorge Arispuro and Will Hardigree each had two hits on the day as well.
– North Georgia has now won six straight extra inning games. UWF falls to 4-3 in extra frames this season.
NEXT UP
North Georgia and the Argos will wrap up the midweek series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.
Conway’s 10th inning homer lifts UNG to win
Press Release April 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA – Tim Conway walked it off in the 10th inning with a deep double to right center as the University of North Georgia baseball team took down No. 3 Columbus State Saturday afternoon, 6-5.
Crews Taylor got the scoring started in the fifth inning with a solo homer that made its way onto the playing surface of Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium to take a 1-0 lead. The Cougars answered in the sixth with a solo homer and a RBI single that gave Columbus State the 2-1 lead. North Georgia immediately responded with a quartet of runs, coming off a Will Hardigree two RBI double and a Conway two RBI single to take a 5-2 lead.
After the Cougars tied the game in the top of the eighth on a pair of homers, Conway brought home the game winning run in the first extra inning to send the home fans home happy.
NOTES
– Conway led the Nighthawks at the plate, going 3-for-5.
– Jake Arnold (4-0) got the win, throwing 2.2 innings of relief and striking out three. Pierce Williams started the game, going six innings and fanning five.
– North Georgia has now won each of its last five extra inning games.
NEXT UP
The series concludes Sunday
UNG completes sweep of Young Harris
Press Release April 6, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – The University of North Georgia baseball team saw their offense explode for nine runs in the first inning before having to hold off a late rally by Young Harris to finish off a league sweep with a 10-8 win Sunday.
North Georgia sent 14 batters to the plate in the top half of the first inning, plating nine runs highlighted by two RBI doubles from Jake Arnold in the inning to take the early lead. Young Harris answered back by scoring a run in the first, two runs in the fourth and three runs in the sixth to cut the lead down to 9-6.
Jorge Arispuro hit his third homer of the week in the sixth to get North Georgia back on the board, but the Mountain Lions answered in the seventh with two runs off a RBI single. YHC had the bases loaded in the eighth down 10-8, but couldn’t get a runner home as UNG went on to win.
NOTES
– Josh Sosa (1-0) was credited with the win, throwing 1.2 innings of relief. Zach Green completed the three inning save, fanning three while allowing just one hit and a walk.
– Arispuro and Arnold each finished the day 2-for-5 with three RBI.
– The sweep is the second straight over Young Harris in the regular season.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will be in action at home on Tuesday against West Florida at 5 p.m.
UNG beats Georgia College in series opener
Press Release March 26, 2022
After the Bobcats pushed a run across in the top of the first, North Georgia went on to bat around and score four runs in the first. Nik Levensteins tied the game with a RBI single that plated Crews Taylor before Riley Frost had a RBI single to take the lead. Connor Frost and Jorge Arispuro backed that up with RBI singles as well to take a 4-1 lead.
The Nighthawks pushed another run home in the fourth off a Kaleb Freeman RBI single and take a 5-1 lead. GC scratched a run across in the eighth on a sacrifice fly to get to the final score.
NOTES
– Cade Heil (4-3) earned the win, going seven innings and allowing just the two runs. Jake Arnold earned his third save of the year, fanning two over his two innings of work.
– Taylor, Arispuro and Tim Conway each had two hits on the day.
– Connor Frost has now reached base in 10 straight games.
NEXT UP
The two teams will finish the series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
Georgia Southwestern rolls past UNG, 6-2
Press Release March 21, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia baseball team fell Sunday to Georgia Southwestern, 6-2, in Peach Belt Conference action.
GSW got on the scoreboard first, hitting a two run homer and scoring on a wild pitch in the second before getting a RBI double in the sixth to take a 4-0 lead. North Georgia loaded up the bases after the seventh inning stretch and pushed across a run on a RBI groundout to cut into the lead, 4-1.
After the Hurricanes got a sacrifice fly in the eighth, North Georgia again found the scoreboard as Jorge Arispuro hit his first homer of the season to make the score 5-2. GSW scored again in the ninth on a wild pitch to get to the final score.
NOTES
– North Georgia left 14 runners on base, nine of which were in scoring position.
– Crews Taylor, Garrett Hollenbeck, Arispuro and Will Hardigree each had multi-hit games. Hollenbeck is now on an eight-game hitting streak.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will host Montevallo on Tuesday at 5 p.m. for the first of a two-game midweek series.
Nighthawks split Saturday twin bill
Press Release March 20, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia split a Saturday doubleheader with Georgia Southwestern, winning the nightcap in extra innings.
GAME 1 – GSW 8, UNG 1
The Hurricanes struck first in the third after a leadoff triple led to the game’s first run, but North Georgia answered with a Riley Frost RBI single that tied the game up through three complete, 1-1.
GSW scored the game’s final seven runs, scoring a pair in the sixth, a single run in the seventh, and four in the ninth to take the series opening win.
GAME 2 – UNG 1, GSW 0 (10 inn.)
Both North Georgia and Georgia Southwestern had opportunities to score throughout the first nine innings of the contest, but UNG’s Pierce Williams and GSW’s Nick McCollum threw gems, both going nine innings of shutout baseball and working out of jams.
After Jake Arnold sat down the ‘Canes in the top of the 10th, the Nighthawks pushed across the game’s only run in the bottom of the frame on a Tim Conway walkoff single.
NOTES
– Kaleb Freeman went 3-for-6 on the day, while Jorge Arispuro went 3-for-8.
– The extra innings win broke a streak of eight straight extra innings losses for North Georgia.
NEXT UP
The two teams will meet in a rubber game tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Read Full Article
Nighthawks fall in second half of doubleheader
Press Release March 6, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
GREENWOOD, S.C. – After jumping out to an early lead, the No. 25 University of North Georgia baseball team saw the advantage disappear as Lander won the second game of the series, 8-6, Saturday.
North Georgia loaded up the bases in the second inning and scored three runs in the frame. After scoring one on a double play, Connor Frost doubled and Justin Bailey singled to score two more and take a 3-0 lead. Lander answered by plating single runs in the second and third to take a 3-2 lead.
The Nighthawks would score again in the fourth on a Frost single to take a 4-2 lead, but the Bearcats responded in a big way, scoring two runs on both a double and a single to take a 6-4 lead. Kaleb Freeman got UNG back on the board in the fifth to trim the lead to one, but Lander would extend their lead out to 8-5 on a pair of Nighthawk errors in the sixth. Garrett Hollenbeck plated a run in the eighth on a single to center, but that was all they could muster.
NOTES
– Four Nighthawks combined for eight of UNG’s 11 hits.
– UNG had three doubles, one each from Freeman, Frost and Crews Taylor.
NEXT UP
The rubber match is set for 1 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.
Print Friendly Version
Read Full Article
UNG rallies from 8-run deficit to beat Catawba
Press Release February 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. – After trailing 8-0, the No. 18 University of North Georgia baseball team scored the final nine runs of the game, including one in the bottom of the ninth to finish off the series against Catawba with a 9-8 win Sunday.
Catawba put up three runs in the third, capped off by a Joe Butts two run homer, and five in the fourth to build up the 8-0 lead. The Nighthawks began to claw back in the sixth when Nik Levensteins hit a two run blast to get the rally going. North Georgia then put up five in the seventh off doubles from Connor Frost and Justin Bailey before Levensteins hit his second homer of the day to score the final three of the frame and slash the lead to 8-7.
With the first pitch of the eighth inning, Jake Arnold sent it flying over the wall, tying the game at 8-8. In the ninth, North Georgia loaded the bases with a leadoff double, a hit by pitch and an intentional walk, setting up Kaleb Freeman to draw a seven pitch walk to win the game.
NOTES
– North Georgia’s bullpen combined for six innings of three hit baseball, striking out 11. Daniel Courtney (1-1) got the win, fanning two in a perfect 1.1 innings of work.
– It was the fourth time in his career that Levensteins has hit multiple homers in a game.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will take on Southern Wesleyan in midweek action Tuesday to wrap up the 14-game homestand. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Williams spins shutout in UNG win over Catawba
Press Release February 27, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Just hours after playing the longest game in program history, Pierce Williams threw a five hit shutout as the No. 18 University of North Georgia baseball team evened the series with Catawba Saturday with a 2-0 win.
North Georgia scored in the first inning, plating Crews Taylor on a Nik Levensteins sacrifice fly. The Nighthawks pushed their second run across in the third on a Jake Arnold RBI double down the line in left.
From there, Williams took over, stranding three Indians at third base over the final six innings to preserve the shutout.
NOTES
– Williams (3-0) threw 114 pitches, fanning six while walking just one.
– Kaleb Freeman and Garrett Hollenbeck were each 2-for-3 on the day, while Levensteins was 1-for-1 with a single, the sac fly and two walks.
NEXT UP
Emmanuel upsets UNG in midweek baseball
Business February 27, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA – The No. 18 University of North Georgia baseball team fell to Emmanuel in midweek action Wednesday, 6-4, snapping a nine game winning streak over the Lions.
Emmanuel struck first with solo homers in the second and fourth innings. After pushing a second run across in the fourth to lead 3-0, the Nighthawks answered by loading up the bases in the bottom of the fourth and scratching three runs on a Will Hardigree RBI single and a Justin Bailey RBI double. The Lions scored a run in the fifth off a double, but again North Georgia responded with a run after loading the bases again in the fifth to retie the game, 4-4.
The difference was a two-run sixth for Emmanuel as they plated a pair on a two-out single to right. North Georgia didn’t get another base runner on as the Lion pitching staff sat 12 straight UNG batters down.
NOTES
– In total, 14 pitchers saw action with eight Nighthawks finding the mound. Pete Weil got the start, going two innings, while Daniel Courtney finished it off, going 1.2 and fanning three.
– Kaleb Freeman was the only Nighthawk with a two hit game, going 2-for-4.
NEXT UP
North Georgia opens a three game set with Catawba on Friday at 4 p.m.
Connor Frost’s four hits leads UNG win
Press Release February 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The No. 19 University of North Georgia baseball team used a quick start to finish off the series with Queens Sunday, winning the rubber match, 10-3.
North Georgia scored four in the second, using a Connor Frost double, a Garrett Hollenbeck sacrifice fly, a Tim Conway infield single and a Kaleb Freeman base knock to right to take the early lead. UNG added on in the third with a Hollenbeck double that pushed the lead to 6-0.
After a quiet fourth and fifth, North Georgia found the scoreboard again in the sixth off RBI singles from Riley Frost, Jake Arnold and Connor Frost to take a 9-0 lead. Queens answered in the seventh with a two-run homer and again in the eighth on a RBI groundout before the Nighthawks scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth off a wild pitch.
NOTES
– Jay Pendley (2-0) earned the win, going 6.2 innings and giving up two runs off six hits and two walks. He struck out a pair of Royals as well.
– Connor Frost finished the day 4-for-5 at the plate, while Conway, Riley Frost, Arnold and Hollenbeck also had multi-hit games.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will have its first midweek game of the season Wednesday as they welcome Emmanuel to Dahlonega for a 3 p.m. first pitch.
Print Friendly Version
Read Full Article
UNG announces 2022 baseball schedule
Press Release December 7, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
DAHLONEGA – Coming off a run to the Peach Belt Conference Championship series a year ago, the University of North Georgia baseball team has announced its 2022 slate of games that includes two homestands of 10 or more games.
The season will start with a 14 game homestand that kicks off with a three game set against Lee February 4-6. One weekend later, the Nighthawks will welcome in Mars Hill for the first time since 2011 for a three game series. North Georgia will then play its first ever games against Queens February 18-20 before the first midweek game of the season February 23 against Emmanuel.
North Georgia will continue the homestand February 25-27 against Catawba and wrap up the home stretch against Southern Wesleyan March 1. UNG will open league play on the road at Lander March 4-6 before returning home to take on North Greenville in a midweek showdown March 8.
After a three-game PBC series at Flagler, North Georgia will play 10 straight at Bob Stein Stadium, starting with a midweek matchup against West Georgia March 16 right before a three-game conference series against Georgia Southwestern. The homestand continues with a two game midweek series against Montevallo March 22 and 23 before the Nighthawks welcome Georgia College for a three game set March 25 and 26. Anderson wraps up the two week homestand on March 29.
UNG will take on West Georgia on the road March 30 prior to a three game series at Young Harris to jump start the month of April. The Nighthawks will then play West Florida April 5 and 6, Columbus State April 8-10 and Anderson April 12 all inside the friendly confines of the Steiner.
North Georgia will wrap up the regular season with back-to-back road series against Augusta and USC Aiken before the regular season final series against Claflin in Dahlonega.
Season passes and single game tickets are now on sale on UNGAthletics.com/tickets. Fans can also purchase season passes and/or single game tickets through the HomeTown Ticketing app.
Nighthawks belt 11 homers in doubleheader sweep of Salem
Business May 2, 2021
GAME ONE – #27 UNG 13, SU 3 (7 inn.)
The Nighthawks scratched the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first off a Bill LeRoy sacrifice fly before the home runs started flying in the second. UNG went back-to-back in the frame, getting a two run bomb from Crews Taylor and a Tim Conway solo shot three pitches later.
Nik Levensteins got in on the homer fun in the third with a two run blast of his own to stretch the North Georgia lead to 6-0 before Salem scored for the first time in the fifth on a sacrifice fly. Levensteins responded in the bottom of the fifth with another two run homer to give the Nighthawks a 8-1 lead. In the sixth, UNG went back-to-back again, this time with a two run shot from Andres Perez and Bill LeRoy’s solo homer to extend the lead to 11-1.
After Salem scored twice in the seventh, Tim Conway walked the game off with a two RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Pierce Williams (3-0) earned the win, striking out five across six innings of work.
Will Hardigree
GAME TWO – #27 UNG 8, SU 0
Perez got North Georgia on the board quickly in the first inning with a solo homer to start the back-to-back combo with LeRoy that gave UNG an early 2-0 lead. After a LeRoy RBI single in the third, Will Hardigree hit his first homer of the day in the fourth, a solo shot that stretched the lead to 4-0. Two batters later, Taylor hit his second long ball of the day on a solo homer to right.
Hardigree homered again in the seventh to plate the final three runs of the game.
Jay Pendley (2-1) went eight innings to secure the win, punching out eight. He retired his final 14 batters after giving up a leadoff single in the fourth.
NOTES
– The six homers in game one is tied for the second most in a single game in program history.
NEXT UP
The two teams will finish off the four-game series tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.