(GREENWOOD, S.C.) – The No. 15 University of North Georgia baseball team dropped a pair of one run games on the road against Lander Saturday evening in Peach Belt Conference action. With the two losses, the Nighthawks have now lost four straight games and sit at 19-8 overall with an 8-3 record in conference play.
Both losses came by just a one-run deficit as a comeback effort from UNG was halted in game one and it was the Bearcats making a late comeback for the win in game two.
The two teams will finish the three game series tomorrow, Sunday, Mar. 24 at 1 p.m. in Greenwood, S.C.
Game 1: Bearcats def. Nighthawks, 6-5
Junior outfielder Jorge Arispuro got the Nighthawks on the board first with a two run double in the first inning to score fellow junior Riley Frost and redshirt sophomore Phillip Ard. The RBI knock was Arispuro’s first of the day in which he went 2-for-5 with three RBIs to continue a 12-game hitting streak. His streak would be halted in game two with an 0-for-3 performance despite walking twice.
Lander quickly responded to the early deficit by taking the lead in the bottom of the frame with three runs. With two runners on and two batters out, the Bearcats strung together three straight singles against UNG junior starter Dylan Noce.
Lander made it a 4-2 game in the second inning with a sacrifice fly. The game would remain locked at 4-2 all the way until the seventh inning.
It was in the seventh that Frost grounded out with the bases loaded to get a run back.
The Nighthawks tied the game at 4-4 in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from junior catcher Bryson Stripling to bring home freshman designated hitter Kyle Robitzsch.
The tie score did not last long as the Bearcats put up two more runs with back-to-back singles to pull in front 6-4.
Needing to score two runs in the top of the ninth, UNG was put in a great position when sophomore infielder Brady Skipper led the inning off with a single. Frost followed by reaching first base after getting plunked by the pitch.
Back-to-back ground balls moved the runners and eventually scored Skipper via Jorge Arispuro reaching on a fielder’s choice.
With two outs and a chance to tie the game, Robitzsch flew out to center field as Lander held on for the 6-5 win.
Game 2: Bearcats def. Nighthawks, 5-4
In the day’s second game, it was the Bearcats who made a comeback late in the game to find their second victory of the day.
Only one run was scored in the first five innings as Lander got an RBI double from graduate catcher Blake Marrs in the second inning.
In the sixth, Arispuro tied the game with his fourth RBI of the day on a ground out.
Lander retook the lead when redshirt junior left hander Zach Green hit junior first baseman Connor Droze with a pitch with the bases loaded.
The 2-1 score didn’t hold long as the Nighthawks put up three runs in the top of the eighth making it 4-2. Back-to-back bases loaded walks from Bearcat graduate lefty Jackson Bryant put UNG back in front. Then sophomore utility player Edwin Bowman IV singled to left, bringing Robitzsch to give UNG a two run cushion.
However, Lander found a way back. In the bottom of the eighth, a lead off, solo homer from graduate outfielder Chandler Moeller made it 4-3.
Then in the bottom of the ninth, back-to-back lead off singles occupied the corners in a one run ball game as sophomore right hander Connor Harris was called upon to try and get UNG out of the inning..
However, Droze came through in a big spot again for the Bearcats, singling to right field to tie the game.
An intentional walk loaded the bases with still nobody out in the inning before Harris got Moeller to strike out looking for the first out.
Unfortunately for the Nighthawks, Lander redshirt junior outfielder Jackson Hoshour worked a walk-off walk in the next at bat to win the game for the Bearcats, 5-4.
