The Hawks scored a single run in the first and third innings before stretching their lead to 5-1 in the fourth. Junior center fielder Noah Huckaby scored the first run of the fourth after senior left fielder Andrew Smith was struck by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Saints were able to induce a double play a batter later, but not before senior designated hitter John Rhodarmer touched home to make it a 4-1 ball game. A single by senior right fielder Cooper Brown scored the final run of the inning to make it a 5-1 ball game.

Senior right fielder Richie Daigle (Alpharetta, Ga.) led the fourth inning off with a single and later scored on an RBI single by junior catcher David Chastain (Canton, Ga.). With North Georgia still down by three runs, Chastain joined three other Saints at home plate after Lauderdale crushed a grand slam over the wall to put North Georgia up 6-5. Three batters later, sophomore first baseman Creston Warner (Jacksonville, Fla.) doubled down the line to drive in two more runs and put the Saints up 8-5. Courtesy of Daigle, Warner touched home after he knocked the second home run of the inning and made it a 10-5 game.

North Georgia put a run on the board in the fifth inning and two more up in the seventh after sophomore third baseman Justin Rickett (Cumming, Ga.) blasted a two run homer over the left field fence to cap of the Saints scoring.

Junior reliever Skyler Webb (Snellville, Ga.) came into the ball game in the fourth inning and threw a perfect two and a third innings of relief to pick up the win. Webb did not allow a hit or a run and did not walk a batter while striking out two. Junior starter Dustin Mayberry took the loss after going three innings of work and allowing six earned runs off of eight hits with four strikeouts.

Both teams will face each other tomorrow as they wrap up the three game series with a double header beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Box Score