YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Crews Sudduth and Nick Clarno each drove in two runs as the University of North Georgia baseball team opened up their Peach Belt Conference and Battle of Blood Mountain series with a 4-1 win over Young Harris College Friday (April 5) evening at Zell B. Miller Field.

The No. 9-ranked Nighthawks improved to 25-9 overall and to 13-6 in the Peach Belt, while the Mountain Lions, who are ranked No. 8 regionally, fell to 23-12 and 10-7. First pitch for game two Saturday (April 6) is 3 p.m

Young Harris took a 1-0 lead in the second Dahlton Cash led off the inning with a double down the right field line and moved to second on a Cole Jackson ground out. Tristin Smith drove in Cash with s single to right field.

North Georgia took advantage of wildness by YHC starter Cameron Williams (4-3) in the third inning to score three runs. William Mapes and Crew Taylor started the rally with walks. Sudduth followed with an RBI single to right to tie the game at 1. Clarno would add a two-run double to right center field to give UNG a 3-1 lead. The Nighthawks added a run in the fifth on a Sudduth homer to center field.

The Mountain Lions collected nine hits, but UNG starter Steven Bower (6-2) and reliever Parker Morrison, who earned his seventh save, were able to strand 10 YHC runners on base. Young Harris had the bases loaded in the ninth inning, but Morrison got Brett Hawkins to strike out swinging to end the game.

Cash led Young Harris with four hits, including two doubles, while Corley Reynolds had two hits. Williams had nine strikeouts for the Mountain Lions in six innings, while reliever Matt Rogers struck out five in three innings.