COLUMBUS, Ga. – The University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team evened its first Peach Belt Conference series of the season with a 6-0 win at Columbus State (CSU) Saturday afternoon. 

The Nighthawks (10-6, 1-1 Peach Belt) can win the series against the Cougars (8-6, 1-1 Peach Belt) tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the finale. 

On Saturday, UNG's relentless offense was paired with two stellar pitching performances on the mound to take down the Cougars in the team's first shutout of the year.

The Nighthawk run scoring started in the second inning with a two-out, RBI single to left field from senior second baseman Brady Skipper. Skipper moved into scoring position on the throw to the plate and subsequently scored in the next at bat on another RBI single from junior right fielder Jorge Arispuro. 

A double from senior catcher Bryson Stripling kept the rally going as Arispuro sprinted around the bases to score from first and make it 3-0 in favor of UNG.

Arispuro added to UNG's lead with his second RBI of the game later in the top of the sixth inning. His right-field base knock sent sophomore left fielder Kyle Robitzsch home from second base to make it 4-0. 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Nighthawk sophomore starter Luke Earnhardt negated a lead-off walk by retiring the next three batters which included his third and final strikeout of the day.

Earnhardt was sensational at getting the Cougars to hit soft-contact outs on Saturday. He pitched six scoreless innings while scattering three walks and five hits, all of which were singles. Only in two innings did Earnhardt allow more than one runner on the basepath at a time. In both instances, he coaxed a ground ball to end the threat. 

North Georgia provided more run supports for the pitching staff in the seventh inning with a pair of runs. 

An error and a double allowed junior center fielder Andres Opata and junior shortstop Jace Bowen to occupy third and second base respectively with nobody out in the frame. 

Redshirt junior first baseman Phillip Ard then extended his RBI streak to five straight games as his sacrifice fly to center field allowed Opata to score. 

Another streak was extended in the next at bat as redshirt freshman Nicholas Stinson punched a single through the right side of the infield that allowed Bowen to cross the plate and make it 6-0. Stinson has now successfully recorded a hit in eight straight games, which is the longest active streak on the team. 

Redshirt sophomore right-handed reliever Avery Brown took over for Earnhardt on the mound in the bottom of the seventh with a six-run lead. 

Brown did not allow a run or hit as he silenced the CSU offense for three scoreless innings to cement the 6-0 victory. The only baserunner against Brown reached on an error in the seventh as he earned his first career save in the victory. 

Earnhardt and Brown combined to complete UNG's first shutout of the season Saturday.

Saturday's win marks UNG's fourth win in the last five games. It also marked the team's 12th game this season with six or more runs scored. The Nighthawks lead the PBC in team batting average this year (.305) and rank in the top three in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, total bases and slugging percentage.

UNG will look for another big offensive performance, tomorrow, Sunday, Mar. 2 in the decisive series finale at 1 p.m.