DAHLONEGA, GA - Despite taking an early 3-0 lead, Francis Marion University was unable to hold-off a late offensive rally by the Nighthawks as the Patriots fell to the University of North Georgia 19-3, Saturday afternoon (April 16) in Peach Belt Conference baseball action.

Francis Marion falls to 22-19 overall, 10-13 in the PBC and North Georgia moves to 24-16 and 13-13.  The two squads will play a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. to conclude the three-game series.

Junior shortstop Antonio Pino finished 1-for-2 with a pair of runs scored and two walks, while senior first baseman Randy Loew went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in for FMU. Senior center fielder Casey Clauss drove in the other Patriot run, finishing 1-for-3 at the plate.

Senior right-hander Brandon Cook got the nod for Francis Marion, but wouldn't factor into the final decision. He allowed the two runs on five hits, while striking out four in four innings of work. Junior righty Chance DuCharme (2-1) was handed the loss after facing three batters in the bottom portion of the fifth inning.

It would be Francis Marion striking for a pair of runs in the top-half of the first frame against the Nighthawks. The inning got going with a one-out walk to Pino. The free pass would be followed by a double from senior right fielder JD Crowe. Swinging on the first offering, Loew would give FMU a 1-0 with a run-scoring single. Clauss then plated Crowe from third base with an RBI-groundout to the second baseman.

The Patriots would add another run in the top of the third frame. It would again be Pino getting on base with one out, this time via a single. He would move up to second on a groundout by Crowe and would score one batter later on a Loew single through the right side of the infield.

The Nighthawks would find their way onto the scoreboard in the home half of the fourth inning against Cook. First baseman Trevor Sams delivered the first of his two home runs in the game on a 1-2 offering with a shot into right field, making it 3-2. With two runners on base in the fifth inning Sams would strike again for North Georgia. This time his three-run home run to center field put the Nighthawks ahead 5-3. The long-ball highlighted a six run frame for North Georgia.

Nighthawks starter Steven Bower (5-3) tossed eight innings, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts. 

Sams finished 3-for-4 with five RBIs, while Taylor Jones finished 3-for-6 with five RBIs and Devin Gearhart tallied four hits in seven at-bats while driving in three runs for North Georgia.