Young Harris Holds On to Defeat UNG Baseball, 5-4

4/7/18

DAHLONEGA – Despite a ninth-inning homer by Conner Corbitt, the University of North Georgia baseball team fell to Young Harris in game two of the Battle of Blood Mountain series, dropping to the Mountain Lions, 5-4, breaking their nine-game winning streak Saturday afternoon in Bob Stein Stadium.

After a tough loss the night before, the Mountain Lions were first on the board in the second after a solo shot over left from Rudy Gaona, his second of the series, to give YHC the 1-0 lead. North Georgia struggled on the mound, surrendering a hit batter, a single, and a walk to load the bases for YHC’s Brett Graczyk. A two-RBI ground blast through the right side lifted the Mountain Lions past the Nighthawks early on for a 3-0 lead.

UNG didn’t respond until the fourth frame. Jake Arnold picked up a solo homer, his fourth of the year, to get the Nighthawks on the board, 3-1. Despite the Nighthawk effort, Young Harris got it back in the fifth. Cory Ewald rocked a ground double to center, allowing Corley Reynolds to come behind him with a RBI single to shallow right, 4-1.

The Nighthawks were able to lace some hits and draw a walk to load the bases for Corbitt, who hit a left center sacrifice fly to score Josh Profit from third and cut the lead in half for UNG, 4-2, but once again, the Mountain Lions responded with a solo shot, this time from Tristin Smith to pull away, 5-2.

UNG was able to put up another run in the sixth and again in the ninth with Corbitt going yard over left center to make it a one-run game, 5-4, but the Nighthawks couldn’t get another base runner on as YHC earned the win.

NOTES
– Arnold went 2-for-4 with a single, a homer, one run scored and one RBI. Corbitt went 2-for-4 with a single, a homer, one run scored and two RBI. Sudduth went 1-for-3 with a single and a RBI.

– 11 UNG base runners were left stranded, while the Mountain Lions left just seven runners on base.

– Dylan Gibeau (3-1) was awarded the win, while Kyle Luigs (3-2) was pegged with the loss.

NEXT UP
North Georgia will conclude the Battle of Blood Mountain series against Young Harris tomorrow in game three of the weekend. First pitch of the rubber game is set for 1 p.m. at The Steiner.