DAHLONEGA | The twelfth-ranked University of North Georgia baseball team used a seven-run fourth inning to erase a three-run deficit and eventually take down Emmanuel (Ga.), 11-7, Friday evening at Bob Stein Stadium. The Nighthawks advance to 34-13 on the season with the non-conference win.
The Lions (9-34) scored three runs in the top of the second, including two unearned runs off of a Trent Jones double to right center. Joey Cecere drove in the first run of the game for UNG with a RBI groundout to short in the third to score Trevor Sams, but Emmanuel got the run back in the next frame with a sacrifice fly by Bo Hardman, giving the Lions a 4-1 lead.
The Nighthawk bats got hot in the bottom of the fourth though as 11 batters came to the plate and seven came across to score on eighth hits, highlighted by a two-run triple from Sams to give North Georgia the lead, 8-4.
EC would score three in the sixth with a solo homer from Dacen Cash followed by a two-run blast by Hardman to make it a one-run game, 8-7.
The Hawks would get some insurance though with a RBI single from Tomlinson in the bottom of the sixth and a pair of runs in the seventh driven in by Sams and Andrew Gordon to give UNG the 11-7 lead that proved final.
Chris Cobb (5-0) earned the win in relief benefiting from the seven-run inning provided by the offense. Cobb allowed four runs on nine hits in 4.0 innings pitched.
Josh Bryan picked up his third save of the year allowing just one hit in his 3.0 innings pitched while striking out two.
North Georgia will look to take the series from Emmanuel tomorrow. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
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