DAHLONEGA, GA – Francis Marion University held early advantages in both games, but the University of North Georgia rallied twice to sweep Sunday's (Feb. 21) Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader from the Patriots, winning 8-4 and 16-7.
 
Francis Marion (0-3, 0-3) will host Lenoir-Rhyne University on Tuesday at 3 p.m. for the Patriots' home opener. Attendance is limited to 250 and that includes only season ticket holders, FMU students with pre-acquired tickets, and player/staff family members identified on a pre-game ticket list. No walk-up game-day tickets will be sold.
 
Senior catcher and designated hitter Leniel Gonzalez led FMU at the plate on Sunday going 6-for-9 with a pair of home runs, three runs scored, and six driven in. The Sumter native homered in all three games of the series.
 
In Sunday's opener, FMU scored first, snapping a scoreless deadlock in the top of the fourth. Senior first baseman Darius Nobles singled up the middle and eventually came around to score on a botched double play attempt.  The Nighthawks responded immediately when catcher Andres Perez homered to lead off the bottom the frame.
 
A 2-out, 2-run double by left fielder Brady Eeles put UNG up 3-1 in the last of the fifth.  Francis Marion cut that margin in half in the top of the sixth with a single tally.  Two-out singles by Nobles, senior shortstop Grayson Cottingham, and junior second baseman Tanner Wakefield loaded the bases before Nobles scored on a wild pitch.
 
However, North Georgia scored twice in the bottom of the sixth and three times in the seventh to assume an 8-2 advantage.
 
Gonzalez completed the scoring with a two-run homer down the right field line in the ninth inning.
 
Sophomore left fielder Jack Hegan led FMU with three hits in game one, while Gonzalez, Nobles, and Cottingham all rapped out two hits apiece.  The Patriots outhit the Nighthawks 11-9.
 
FMU sophomore right-hander Cory Poulsen (0-1), the second of five Patriot hurlers, absorbed the loss.  Cade Heil (2-0) earned the win with 5.2 innings of work, while Maddex Richardson picked up his first save of 2021.
 
To lead off game two, FMU junior right fielder Will Hardee singled, Hegan walked, and Gonzalez blasted a three-run shot over the right field wall to stake the Patriots to a 3-0 lead.
 
FMU freshman starter Halton Hardy was greeted by solo homers by Crews Taylor and Perez in the bottom of the frame to narrow the margin to 3-2.
 
Francis Marion scored four times in the fourth to go ahead 7-2.  A trio of walks loaded the bases with two outs.  Gonzalez drove in one run with an infield single, a second run scored on a Nighthawk error, and then Cottingham and Wakefield drew bases-loaded RBI walks.
 
However, North Georgia responded with 14 unanswered runs to win the game and sweep the series.
 
Hardy pitched four innings, allowed five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts, and left holding the lead. Senior righty Reece Kleinhelter (0-1) was the losing pitcher, while Tyler Courtney (1-0), the fourth of six UNG hurlers, picked up the win.

While Gonzalez was 4-for-5, both senior third baseman Todd Mattox and Hardee picked up two hits in the second contest.
 
 
North Georgia 8, Francis Marion 4 (Feb 21, 2021 at Dahlonega, Ga.) (Game 1)
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Francis Marion...... 000 101 002  -  4 11  3      (0-2, 0-2 PBC)
North Georgia....... 000 122 30X  -  8  9  2      (7-1, 7-1 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Daniel Twitty; Cory Poulsen(4); Ethan Meece(6); Joshua Collins (6); Tyler Davis (7) and Leniel Gonzalez. North Georgia - Cade Heil; Maddex Richardson (6) and Andres Perez.
Win-Cade Heil (2-0)  Save-M. Richardson (1)  Loss-Cory Poulsen (0-1)  T-3:10  A-220
HR FMU - Leniel Gonzalez.
HR UNG - Andres Perez; Nik Levensteins.
Weather: Sunny, 51, Wind W 5 mph
 
North Georgia 16, Francis Marion 7 (Feb 21, 2021 at Dahlonega, Ga.) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion...... 300 400 000  -  7  9  1      (0-3, 0-3 PBC)
North Georgia....... 200 133 52X  - 16 16  1      (8-1, 8-1 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Halton Hardy; Reece Kleinhelter (5); Christian Umphlett(6);
Brock Rodgers (7) and Daulton Dabbs. North Georgia - E. Galatas; B. Jones (1); D. Lang (4); T. Courtney (4); P. Williams (7); J. Pendley (9) and Andres Perez.
Win-Tyler Courtney (1-0)  Loss-Reece Kleinhelter (0-1)  T-3:03  A-225
HR FMU - Leniel Gonzalez.
HR UNG - Crews Taylor 2; Tim Conway 2; Andres Perez 2.
Weather: Sunny, 53, Wind W 8 mph
D. Lang faced 1 batter in the 4th.
Hardy faced 2 batters in the 5th.