FLORENCE, SC – A trio of home runs over the first two innings staked the University of North Georgia to an early lead that the Nighthawks would not surrender en route to a 12-5 Peach Belt Conference victory over Francis Marion University, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 22) in baseball action.

FMU (5-6, 1-3) and North Georgia (9-2, 6-2) will play the finale of the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium.

Senior second baseman Grayson Cottingham led Francis Marion at the plate with a 3-for-3 day that included a pair of doubles and two runs scored.

Patriot junior southpaw Weston Rogers (1-2) took the loss.  Junior right-hander Bailey Wendel pitched well in relief, limiting UNG to two hits and no runs over 4.1 innings of work.  He struck out six and walked only one.

All-Conference left-hander Steven Bower (3-1) earned the win for North Georgia. He allowed only two earned runs on six hits over 7.1 innings, while fanning eight.

UNG first baseman Jake Arnold hit a grand slam in the top of the first inning, and in the second, center fielder Crews Taylor added a solo shot and catcher Bill LeRoy a two-run homer as the Nighthawks went up 7-0.

Junior center fielder Bill Hanna scored FMU's first run in the fifth on a double play grounder.

Trailing 8-1 in the last of the eighth, Francis Marion plated two runs on a throwing error and a balk.  That drew the Patriots to within 8-3, but FMU left the bases loaded.

Bases-loaded walks to freshman first baseman Jake Benoit and senior designated hitter Leniel Gonzalez accounted for the final Patriot runs in the ninth inning.

Taylor led North Georgia with four hits, including two home runs.

Post-game comments from FMU head coach Art Inabinet

U. of North Georgia 12, Francis Marion Univ. 5 (Feb 22, 2020 at Florence, SC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
U. of North Georgia. 430 000 014  - 12 11  1      (9-2, 6-2 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 010 022  -  5  7  1      (5-6, 1-3 PBC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: U. of North Georgia - Steven Bower; Jay Pendley (8); Maddex Richardson (8);
Jeff Jenkins (9); Jordan Krueger (9) and Bill Leroy. Francis Marion Univ. - Weston Rogers; Bailey Wendel (2); Ethan Meece (7); Colby Lee (8); Noah Henderson (9); Brock Rodgers (9); Brayden Barry (9) and Trystan Freeman; Derek Neal.
Win-Steven Bower (3-1)  Loss-Weston Rogers (1-2)  T-3:25  A-635
HR UNG - Crews Taylor 2 (6); Bill Leroy (1); Jake Arnold (1).
Weather: Sunny,Clear,51,Winds calm
Henderson faced 2 batters in the 9th.