DAHLONEGA – The No. 16 University of North Georgia (UNG) baseball team swept Flagler in a thrilling 8-7 win with a three-run ninth inning and walk-off victory at Bob Stein Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park on Sunday.

The Nighthawks (30-11, 18-3 Peach Belt) now sit alone atop the Peach Belt Conference standings after their third-straight win over the Saints (26-15, 10-11). 

After losing 8-3 at Lander (29-13, 17-4) on Sunday, Georgia College (26-17, 17-4) and the Bearcats are both tied for second one game behind the Nighthawks. UNG holds the tiebreaker over Lander and will face Georgia College in the final series of the regular season in Milledgeville, Ga. on April 25-27.

Sunday's celebratory win in walk-off fashion almost didn't happen for the Nighthawks. In fact, they almost went home with a sour taste after surrendering a five-run lead in the eighth inning.

After shutting out Flagler for the team's second scoreless outing of the year, it looked like UNG might repeat that feat in the series finale on Sunday.

Senior third baseman Riley Frost made numerous nice plays on defense before also contributing at the plate with a two-run double in the second inning and an RBI single in the fourth to make it 3-0.

A sacrifice fly from junior center fielder Andrews Opata added to the lead in the fourth. 

Freshman infielder Jake Prince then reached base on an infield single with the bases loaded in the sixth inning to make it a 5-0 lead.

Senior right-handed pitcher Dylan Noce pitched a beautiful six scoreless innings with only four hits and one walk. He turned the ball over to the bullpen with a five-run lead in the seventh inning as the Nighthawks were on the brink of another dominant win. 

Suddenly, things spiraled out of control in the eighth inning. The first two hitters in the lineup for the Saints reached on base hits before senior left-handed reliever Daniel Courtney struck out his final batter of his 1.1 inning-outing. However, the fuse had been lit for Flagler.

As junior Ryan Taylor came out of the bullpen, the Saints continued to hit. A single loaded the bases before a passed ball brought in Flagler's first run since the seventh inning on Friday. Another single made it 5-2. 

Taylor then attempted to pick off a runner at first, but the errant throw allowed the third Saints runner to cross home plate. Suddenly it was a 5-3 game with only one out in the eighth and all the momentum in Flagler's favor.

Graduate left-handed reliever Zach Green came into the game and recorded the second out. However, a two-out double from George Gilson made it a one-run game at 5-4.

Flagler still wasn't done. Outfielder Jaden Ross dribbled a pinch-hit single up the middle to plate two runs and give the Saints their first lead of the series. 

One more run came in to score after a fielding error by the Nighthawks symbolized a treacherous inning that let the game get out of hand.

UNG was retired in order in the bottom of the eighth as the situation grew dire. In a series that the Nighthawks had dominated for 25 innings thus far, it appeared they were going to let this one slip away in heartbreaking fashion.

In the ninth, Nighthawk reliever Nathan Alexander hit the first two batters of the frame as UNG continued to unravel. However, head coach Tom Cantrell knew there was an arm in the bullpen he could trust in this situation and it was junior reliever Connor Harris.

Having operated as the inning-saving fireman all season long, Harris had a large blaze to put out when he stepped on the mound in the ninth. Two on, nobody out and not an ounce of momentum belonged to the Nighthawks.

After putting both runners in scoring position on a balk, Harris calmed down and redeemed himself by striking out Eli Maddox for the first out. The second baseman Carson Page then lined out to his counterpart for out number two. Finally, Jesse Sullivan ripped a flier into the gap in left center field, but UNG sophomore left fielder Kyle Robitzsch hawked it down for the third and final out. Harris had successfully done his job. He put it out the fire. It was now up to the offense to back him up. 

Opata played his part by immediately ripping a double to left center on the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth. Prince stepped to the plate representing the tying run.

The freshman zipped a ball over the infield into center field for a RBI single as Opata charged home. The crowd came to life. With redshirt junior first baseman Phillip Ard at the plate, UNG saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

The path to victory widened as Ard was hit by the 1-0 pitch to put the tying run in scoring position.

Redshirt freshman Nicholas Stinson then drilled a ball to deep left center field that got the home fans out of their seats before it landed in the glove of center fielder Will Taylor. However, Stinson's shot was deep enough to allow Prince to tag and take third base.

A one-out infield single deep in the hole at second base against the shifted Saints infield from Robitzsch tied the game at 7-7. Ard moved into scoring position as senior outfielder Jorge Arispuro came to bat. 

Arispuro had already been a highlight in UNG's lineup on Sunday. He stepped to the plate in the ninth having already gone 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored. Yet, UNG needed the veteran one more time to pull off the comeback win.

Arispuro fell behind 0-2 to Flagler reliever Ethan Bobo. The righty had pitched a marvelous 3.1 innings in relief up until this point which included six strikeouts and just one walk. However, that did not matter on the 0-2 pitch.

Arispuro swung and softly lined a ball towards the middle of the field. The second baseman Page leapt to make the catch but the ball sailed over his glove into center field. 

Attention in the stadium turned to third base where Cantrell was rapidly waving Ard home from second base. The first baseman made the turn at third and sped home. 

In center field, Taylor got a good jump on the liner and fielded it cleanly. He quickly came up with the throw and it was clear an inevitable play at the plate would decide the game. However, Taylor's throw drilled the backside of the mound before it reached its destination.

Ard dove in with a head-first slide as the UNG dugout poured onto the field to mob Arispuro in celebration. The senior's base hit completed a three-run rally in the ninth for the come-from-behind win.

Sunday's victory marked the Nighthawk' second three-run, ninth-inning comeback of the season and their first walk-off.

Now UNG will get ready for a non-conference matchup at home against Emmanuel on Tuesday. First pitch on April 15 against the Lions is scheduled for 5 p.m.