HawkOff!! Hoover 13th Inning Blast Lifts No. 27 To Series Win Over Top-Ranked Shar

University of North Georgia
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2/11/2017 | Baseball | Box Score
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – A walk off homerun by Connor Hoover in the 13th inning lifted the No. 27 University of North Georgia baseball team to an 8-7 win over top-ranked Nova Southeastern on Saturday afternoon at Bob Stein Stadium.

The Sharks got on the board first with a double to right-centerfield in the top of the first inning.

The Nighthawks quickly responded with a three-run bottom of the first inning on three hits, a walk, and an error. The inning was kickstarted by a RBI-double by Michael Gouge and followed by a RBI-single by Trevor Sams. UNG’s third run was plated on a fielding error by the Sharks.

Nova Southeastern cut the deficit to one run on a RBI-single, but just like the bottom of the first inning, the Nighthawks responded with a few runs of their own, when Gouge struck again with a two-run homer to leftfield.

After single runs by Nova Southeastern in the third, fifth and sixth innings knotted the game, a RBI-single by Devin Gearhart gave the Nighthawks a 6-5 lead after six complete.

A Shark homerun squared the game up again in the top of the seventh, but a sacrifice fly by Sams again pushed the Nighthawks ahead, 7-6, in the bottom of the frame.

The top of the eighth saw NSU tie the game yet again on a squeeze play and it would be five innings before Hoover’s no-doubter would clinch the series win.

NOTES
Michael Gouge led the Nighthawk offense with an impressive 4-5 day that included three runs scored and three RBI’s.

Devin Gearhart also added a four-hit day in seven plate appearances.

Logan Burt snagged his first win of the season on the mound after tossing two and two-thirds innings of work out of the bullpen allowing just a single hit. The Nighthawk bullpen threw 11 innings of work scattering eight hits while allowing just three earned runs.

– North Georgia’s season-opening six-game winning streak matches the NCAA-era record for best start set back in 2011.

– The top four spots in both lineups accounted for 20 of the game’s 26 hits.

Andres Perez recorded his second career multiple hit game with a 2-6 day.

– Dylan Woods was the top offensive performer for the defending National Champions as he hit safely in three of his five plate appearances.

NEXT
The Nighthawks (6-0) will look to complete the series sweep tomorrow, Feb. 12, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm


William R. Johnson

4839 Red Oak Drive

Gainesville, Ga. 30506

Mobile (678) 852-1256

McCrary and Hoover Lift Nighthawks To Win Over Lynn, 5-4

UNG Baseball
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2/19/2017 | Baseball | Box Score

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Fueled by a strong pitching performance from Daniel McCrary and perfect day from the plate from Connor Hoover, the No. 27 University of North Georgia baseball team posted a 5-4 win over Lynn on Sunday afternoon at Bob Stein Stadium, avoiding a three-game sweep. McCrary fanned seven Fighting Knights in six innings of work, scattering seven hits and three runs to earn his second win of the season.

Hoover started the Nighthawks’ scoring in the bottom of the first frame when his RBI-triple bounded off the top of the fence in dead centerfield, scoring Devin Gearhart who led off the inning on a first-pitch single.

After Lynn evened the score in the top of the second, Conner Corbitt placed a Lynn offering on the walking track well above the left field fence, giving North Georgia a lead that they would never relinquish.

A two-RBI double by Trevor Sams in the fourth and a RBI-groundout by Steven Tomlinson in the sixth rounded out UNG’s scoring.

Lynn added single runs in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings to cap the scoring for the Fighting Knights.

Defensively, a diving catch in left field by Corbitt in the fourth and a leaping snag by Michael Bell in the seventh extinguished scoring opportunities for Lynn.

NOTES

Connor Hoover and Conner Corbitt combined to go 7-of-8 eight from the plate to lead the Nighthawk offense. Hoover was a perfect 4-for-4 and tallied his sixth multiple-hit game of the season, while Conner Corbitt was successful in three of his four plate appearances, including his third homerun of the season in the second inning.

– After allowing 34 hits in the first two games of the series, the North Georgia pitching staff held Lynn to just eight hits on the day, including just one through the first five innings.

Michael Gouge extended his hitting streak to eight games with his single to right center in the third.

– McCrary’s seven strikeouts matched the single game high for the season that he set in a Feb. 5 win over Carson-Newman.

– Today’s game is the first all season that the Lynn was held to under five runs in a game.

NEXT

North Georgia continues its stretch of 10 consecutive home games when the Nighthawks host the Nighthawk’s Nest Classic on Feb. 24-26 at Bob Stein Stadium. The three-day event features six games between the Nighthawks, Albany State, Florida Tech and Qunicy. UNG will open the Classic with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch against Quincy on Friday, Feb. 24 at 1:00. Complete coverage of the event can be found on the Classic website.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm

William R. Johnson

4839 Red Oak DriveGainesville, Ga. 30506

Mobile (678) 852-1256

Cantrell Scores 1,000th Career Point; Men’s Basketball Edges Out Montevallo in 83-82 Thriller

University of North Georgia
North Georgia Nighthawks
2/15/2017 | Men’s Basketball | Box Score

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Wednesday night’s match up of the top two teams in the Peach Belt Conference Western Division lived up to the billing as the University of North Georgia men’s basketball team edged out Montevallo, 83-82, in exciting fashion in front of a spirited crowd at Memorial Hall. Redshirt junior Shaquan Cantrell scored his 1,000th career point in the first half of the contest. UNG moves to 15-11 on the season and now takes control of the Western Division race at 11-6 in PBC play.

The Nighthawks were on fire out of the gate with Denzell Hosch, Shaquan Cantrell, and Tyler Dominy draining back-to-back-to-back three-pointers to put UNG up 9-1 less than two minutes into the game. A Kevin Kelly three-point basket at the 5:11 mark in the first half game Montevallo their largest lead of the day. The Falcons took a three-point advantage into the halftime break.

Ephriam Tshimanga set the tone for North Georgia in the second half intercepting the initial inbounds pass of the half from Montevallo and driving in for an easy layup to pull the lead back to just one point. The game would go back-and-forth from there but neither team would lead by more than two possessions for the rest of the night.

NOTES
Denzell Hosch led the Nighthawk effort with 26 points on the night. Tyler Dominy (15), Shaquan Cantrell (14), and Ephraim Tshimanga (12), all landed in double figures as well.

– Cantrell’s seven rebounds were the most of any Nighthawk.

– Montevallo’s Javonte Douglas led the game in both points and rebounds with 29 and 11, respectively.

– Cantrell eclipsed the 1,000-point mark at the 6:19 mark in the first half with a three-point basket.

– The win gives North Georgia the season sweep over Montevallo for the first time since 2010. It also marks the first three-game winning streak for UNG in the all-time series. UM still holds the slight edge all-time, 10-7.

– North Georgia now holds a half-game advantage over Montevallo in the PBC Western Division race, however six of the seven teams in the division are all within 2.5 games of each other. Simply put, UNG would clinch the No. 1-seed from the Western Division with a win over Columbus State on Saturday.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will host Columbus State on Saturday, Feb. 18. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Memorial Hall.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm

William R. Johnson

4839 Red Oak Drive

Gainesville, Ga. 30506

Mobile (678) 852-1256

No. 8 Softball Sweeps Captain D’s Classic with Record-Setting Day

University of North Georgia
softballung
2/19/2017 | Softball | Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The eighth-ranked University of North Georgia softball team used a record-setting day to sweep the competition at the 2017 Captain D’s Classic following a 8-0 shutout against Shepherd and a 20-4 win over Seton Hill, Sunday at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium. UNG’s 20 runs scored in the Seton Hill game is a new NCAA-era record for runs scored in a game. With the victories the Nighthawks improve to 14-4 on the season.

GAME ONE
The Nighthawks were able to escape the top half of the first unscathed after Shephard put North Georgia on the defensive with three hits. UNG responded in stride in the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back, first-strike home runs from Sydney Sprague and Stephanie Hartness. The pair of homers gave the Nighthawks the early 2-0 lead and sent Sarah North, the Shepherd starting pitcher, to the bench after just four pitches.

The Nighthawk bats stayed hot in the bottom of the second after walks, errors and a series of hits from Sprague, Hartness and Alisha Frierson drew in three runs.

The streak continued with two runs in the third and one in the fourth for the Nighthawks ending the game in a resounding 8-0 shutout in five innings.

Kylee Smith (8-1) earned the win in the circle giving up just four hits and struck out seven against 20 batters faced in four innings of starting work.

GAME TWO
North Georgia came out swinging as the designated away team in the top half of the first, scoring eight runs off eight hits, including a double and a triple from Stephanie Hartness as the Nighthawks were able to bat through the order.

The streak continued in the top of the second as North Georgia scored two runs, after a solo-homerun to left-center from Shelby Hammontree and a Sydney Sprague RBI single extended the Nighthawk lead to 10-0.

The lone Seton Hill runs came in the bottom of the second after a solo-homerun from Abbey Suhoski and a two-run shot from Paige Hertzog making the score 10-3 heading to the third.

The Nighthawks went on to score 10 more runs, including a two-run-homerun in the third and another solo-homerun in the fourth from Hammontree, giving her home runs in three consecutive at bats in a single game, a new UNG record.

Amber Garrett (1-0) wass credited with her first win of the season after giving up just two hits in three innings of relief work.

NOTES
Sydney Sprague led the team in game one with three hits and 2 RBIs, making it her third game of the season with three or more hits.

Kylee Smith‘s seven strikeouts made it her fourth game with seven or more this season.

– After scoring 20 runs in game two, the Nighthawks surpassed the previous NCAA-era (Since 2006) mark of 19, reached three times, the last in 2011 at Coker.

Shelby Hammontree led the effort in game two, going 5-5 from the plate, including 5 runs batted in, and three home runs, setting the single-game home run record for the Nighthawks.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks travel to Orlando, Florida to play in the Diamond9 Citrus Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex located at the Walt Disney World Resort. UNG will open the tournament against Eckerd on Friday, Feb. 24. First Pitch is scheduled for 1:15 p.m.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm

William R. Johnson

4839 Red Oak DriveGainesville, Ga. 30506

Late Rally Falls Short As No. 27 Nighthawks Fall to No. 1 NSU, 9-7

UNG Baseball
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2/12/2017 | Baseball | Box Score
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – A ninth inning rally came up just short as the No. 27 University of North Georgia baseball team suffered its first loss of the season, 9-7, to visiting Nova Southeastern on Sunday afternoon at Bob Stein Stadium. Despite the loss, the Nighthawks were able to claim the series from the nation’s top-ranked team and defending National Champions.

The Sharks got on the board first on Sunday afternoon following a solo-home run. As they have done all weekend, the Nighthawks quickly responded with a three-spot on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, thanks to a three-run home run by Michael Gouge.

Nova Southeastern (6-2) trimmed the lead to a single run in the top of the third with a RBI double and went on to take a 4-3 lead an inning later thanks to a two-run homer.

The seventh inning saw NSU push the lead to 7-3 on three hits, but North Georgia claimed one back in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly by Steven Tomlinson.

Trailing 9-6 heading into their final at-bat, the Nighthawks mounted a late charge. After a RBI-double by Devin Gearhart, the Nighthawks loaded the bases putting the tying run in scoring position and the winning run at first, but were unable to break through for the equalizer.

NOTES
– After averaging over 12 hits per game in the series’ first two games, the Nighthawk bats were held in check with just seven hits with two hits coming in both the first and ninth innings.

Steven Tomlinson was the lone Nighthawk to record multiple hits with a 2-for-3 day that included a RBI. Michael Gouge finished 1-for-4 with three RBI’s and a run scored.

Daniel McCrary was tagged with the loss on the mound for North Georgia.

– Four different Sharks hit homeruns on the day.

– NSU’s Joe DiBenedetto earned the win tossing eight innings of work scattering five hits while striking out three. The win is his second of the season.

NEXT
North Georgia (6-1) opens another three-game set at home on Friday, Feb. 17 when Lynn (Fla.) comes to Dahlonega for a 4:00 p.m. first pitch.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm

William R. Johnson

4839 Red Oak Drive

Gainesville, Ga. 30506

Mobile (678) 852-1256

Women’s Basketball Takes Care of Montevallo, 71-56

University of North Georgia
North Georgia Nighhawks Womans Basketball
2/15/2017 | Women’s Basketball | Box Score

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The University of North Georgia women’s basketball team used a strong second half performance to distance themselves from visiting Montevallo on Wednesday, taking down the Falcons, 71-56. The Nighthawks advance to 19-7 on the year with an 11-6 mark in the Peach Belt Conference.

Amber Skidgel started the game off on the right foot sinking a three-pointer just nine seconds into the contest to hand UNG an early lead. The Falcons led for just 15 seconds of game play after a Jazmine Stubblefield layup at the 8:20 mark, but North Georgia would take the lead for good with 8:05 left in the first quarter on Jordan Livesay‘s three-point basket.

NOTES
– Four Nighthawks scored in double figures on the night, led by Amber Skidgel‘s 18 points.

Mackenzie Darrah and Deana Blankinship were tied with the team lead in rebounds with seven boards on the night.

– This marks the ninth consecutive win for North Georgia over Montevallo and the fourth consecutive year UNG has earned a series sweep over the Falcons.

– Even though the Nighthawks picked up a victory tonight, Clayton State’s slim win over Young Harris locks in the second-seed for the Lakers. North Georgia is locked in as the three-seed from the Western Division for the Peach Belt Conference Tournament.

NEXT UP
UNG will play host to No. 5 Columbus State on Saturday, Feb. 18. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Memorial Hall.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm

William R. Johnson

4839 Red Oak Drive

Gainesville, Ga. 30506

Mobile (678) 852-1256

North Georgia Nighthawks Hosch’s Half Court Buzzer Beater Gives Men’s Basketball Crucial Road Win Over Georgia College

University of North Georgia
North Georgia Nighthawks
2/13/2017 | Men’s Basketball | Box Score

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Freshman Denzell Hosch had ice water running through his veins in the closing seconds of Monday evening’s game at the Centennial Center, launching a 45-foot shot that found its way through the cylinder as time expired to give the University of North Georgia men’s basketball team a 66-63 road win over Georgia College. The Nighthawks improve to 14-11 on the season with a 10-6 mark in the Peach Belt Conference, just a half game behind Montevallo in the Western Division race.

UNG led for the first 14 minutes of the game but the Bobcats went on a 18-4 run over the last eight minutes of the first half to take an eight-point lead into the intermission. After a bit of a slow start out of the half, the Nighthawks started to chip away at the Georgia College lead and eventually tied the game at the 1:11 mark on a Hosch free throw. After Isaac Thomas put the Bobcats back up with a layup, Shaquan Cantrell tied the game back up on a shot that was counted with a basket interference call on Georgia College.

The Bobcats got the ball back with a tied game and just a six-second differential between the shot clock and the game clock. GC ran the shot clock down to the last second before firing off a contested three-pointer that deflected off the iron and into the hands of Ross Morkem who quickly found the hot-handed Hosch near half court. Hosch turned, took three steps and let the ball fly, finding nothing but net on the other end to hand the Nighthawks a pivotal conference road win.

Denzell Hosch from half court? At the buzzer?! Never had a doubt!! That’s how you #HawkEm! HUGE road win for @UNGMBB tonight pic.twitter.com/BcLI8qI56r

– UNG Nighthawks (@UNG_Nighthawks) February 14, 2017

NOTES
Denzell Hosch led all scorers with 20 points on the night that included a perfect 9-for-9 performance from the charity stripe. Ross Morkem posted a team-high eight rebounds and added 10 points of his own.

– Georgia College had two players hit the double-double mark in the game with Kohl Roberts scoring 16 points with 15 rebounds and Isaac Thomas putting up 16 points with 14 boards.

– North Georgia earns the season sweep of the Bobcats with the victory after downing Georgia College, 64-60, two weeks ago in Dahlonega. UNG is now 9-1 in their last 10 games against the Bobcats.

– UNG keeps pace with Montevallo for the Western Division lead. North Georgia trails by a half game in the standings, but have played one less game than the Falcons. The two teams square off in Dahlonega on Wednesday. UNG defeated Montevallo on the road in January on a buzzer beater by Ephraim Tshimanga.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks return to the friendly confines of Memorial Hall on Wednesday to take on Montevallo. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm

William R. Johnson

4839 Red Oak Drive

Gainesville, Ga. 30506

Mobile (678) 852-1256

No. 8 Softball Takes Down PBA and UWG at Day Two of Steak ‘n Shake Classic

University of North Georgia
softballung
2/11/2017 | Softball | Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The eighth-ranked University of North Georgia softball team swept its competition once again on Saturday as part of the Steak ‘n Shake Classic, defeating Palm Beach Atlantic, 10-3, in game one and West Georgia, 4-1, in game two. With the day two sweep the Nighthawks improve to 8-2 on the season.

GAME ONE
The Nighthawks got going quick as Sydney Sprague hit her second home run in as many days with a long ball over the left field wall.

The Sailfish answered with a run in the bottom of the first, including an RBI double from Magnolia West. The Nighthawks quickly responded in the top of the second by loading the bases and eventually bringing three runs home.

Later in the fifth, Nighthawk hopes were high after four runs put them ahead 10-2 and in position end the game early with the run-rule, but the Sailfish still had some fight left in them.

PBA kept the game alive with a solo home run from Kayla Knight just over the right field wall, giving the game its final 10-3 score.

Amber Johns (1-0) was credited with her first win for the Nighthawks in 4.2 innings of relief work, that included four strikeouts.

GAME TWO
West Georgia struck early with a leadoff homerun from Marley Stowers to left-center. The Nighthawks responded in the bottom half of the second inning with a Shelbyk Hammontree single that brought Kaylyn Anthony home.

The score remained tied at one until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Nighthawks came up with a three-hit rally, including a single from Alisha Frierson and Kaylyn Anthony followed by and inside-the-park homerun from Hammontree to put North Georgia ahead 4-1.

Despite a seventh inning push, the Wolves were unable to fight back from the 4-1 deficit, giving Kylee Smith (5-0) the complete-game win, with six strikeouts and just one run allowed.

NOTES
– The Nighthawk bats were led by Kali Turner in game one, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, batting in four and scoring two runs.

– Shelby Hamontree provided all the offensive production in game two with four RBI, and two runs scored on two hits, including her inside-the-park homerun down the right field line.

– North Georgia improves to 20-7 all-time against West Georgia.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks return to action at the Steak ‘n Shake Classic tomorrow taking on Palm Beach Atlantic at Noon, before facing West Georgia at 2 p.m. Fans in attendance will have chances to win prizes from Steak ‘n Shake throughout the day.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm

William R. Johnson

4839 Red Oak Drive

Gainesville, Ga. 30506

Mobile (678) 852-1256


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