CLINTON, Miss. – The University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team evened its series against Mississippi College (MC) with a 14-3 dismantling in the second game of a three-game set on Saturday.

After suffering a heartbreaking 3-2 loss on Friday, UNG answered with its best offensive performance since Apr. 16, 2024. 

The Nighthawks wasted no time getting on the board Saturday as sophomore catcher Kyle Robitzsch singled to score junior shortstop Jace Bowen to open the scoring in the first inning.

With a 1-0 lead in the second inning, UNG decided it was time for more offense as the squad opened the door with a six-run inning.

Junior center fielder Andrews Opata started the inning with a bang as he connected on his second home run of the season, a three-run blast to right center field to make it 4-0.

Robitzsch brought in Bowen for a second time a few at bats later with a double down the left field line.

Junior second baseman Brady Skipper then got in on the long ball fun as he drilled his first home run of the year over the right field wall to plate two more runs.

Two innings played and the Nighthawks already controlled a 7-0 lead.

In the third inning, Opata solidified a marquee day for himself with his second home run of the game. This time it was a two-run blast to left center to make it 9-0.

Robitzsch brought in his third RBI of the day with another single through the right side. Any attentive readers will not be surprised to learn that Robitzsch brought home Bowen yet again on the single to make it a double-digit lead at 10-0.

Redshirt freshman Nicholas Stinson joined the scoring party in the third inning as he batted in Robitzsch and redshirt junior first baseman Phillip Ard for his first career RBIs as a Nighthawk. 

The 12-0 lead grew to 13-0 in the fourth inning when Ard reached on an error that allowed junior right fielder Edwin Bowman IV to score.

The 14th and final UNG run fittingly came from Robitzsch who singled for his fourth hit of the game as Ard scored on the hit. Robitzsch finished the game going 4-for-5 at the plate with four RBI as he tied a career-high in hits and reached a new career-high in runs batted in. 

Opata went 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored. 

The game ended after seven innings via mercy rule as the Nighthawks had compiled a 14-3 lead when all was said and done. 

Through the first four innings of the game, UNG went 17-for-28 (.607) at the plate with 14 runs, eight RBI, five extra base hits and four home runs. In that span the Nighthawks had a startling 1.165 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) as a group.

UNG can take the series from the Choctaws tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 9 when the two teams close out the three-game series at 1 p.m.