DAHLONEGA, GA – North Georgia put up one of their biggest comebacks of the year on Sunday afternoon, but Truett-McConnell College rallied for an 11-10 extra innings victory over the Saints in non-conference action on Bob Stein Stadium dedication day.
The Saints fall to 31-15 overall on the season, while the cross-town rival Bears improve to 24-21 on the year.

Before first pitch, a dedication for Bob Stein Stadium took place in front of a packed house as more than 500 spectators were on hand for the event. North Georgia president Dr. David Potter and Director of Athletics Randy Dunn recognized Bob Stein with a plaque on the field before unveiling letting on the newly built facility.

With North Georgia trailing by six and down to their final out in the ninth, the Saints loaded the bases and Daniel Petitti came to the dish with two outs and belted a double off the base of the fence in center field to plate a pair of runs and make it a 10-6 game.

After Craig Brisson was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, Jordan Erisman stepped to the plate representing the tying run and coaxed a four-pitch walk to send Adam Baker to the plate and cut the lead to three at 10-7. Airich followed with a chance to tie the game and the senior did just that, belting a double to right field that cleared the bases and tied the game 10-10 to force extra innings.
Jacob Rickett was on the mound in the 10th inning and was unable to find the zone as the sophomore walked in what turned out to be the winning run. Rickett was tagged with the loss in the game, falling to 1-1 on the year, while Ethan Seagraves tossed the final out of the ninth inning and closed out the Saints in the 10th for the victory out of the pen.

The Bears took the lead early as Tyler Bourdo, the second hitter of the game, launched a home run to right field to send Truett-McConell up 1-0 in the first inning. Teddy Leverett tacked on two more runs for the Bears in the second inning with a two-run blast to left center, extending the lead to 3-0.
After TMC made it a 4-0 lead with a run in the fourth, the Saints came back in the bottom half of the inning and Troy Snitker singled through the left side to plate Kenny Bellavance, and Chad Sage scored later in the frame on a groundout to cut the Bears’ lead in half at 4-2.
Andre Airich cut into the lead again in the fifth inning as the senior led off the frame with a solo bomb to left field that landed half way up the mountain to make it a 4-3 Truett-McConnell lead.
The Bears answered with a pair of runs in each of the two innings as Leverett continued his hot streak with a two-run double to right field in the sixth inning, while the center fielder came to the dish again in the seventh inning and sent two more runs home with a triple down the right field line to make it 8-4.
TMC added two more runs in the ninth as Daniel Ficarrotta locked in on a hanging breaking ball and launched the team’s third long ball of the year, this time to left center to give the Bears a 10-4 lead to set up the Saints’ fireworks in the last of the ninth.

The Saints return to action next weekend, traveling to St. Augustine, Florida, to take on Flagler College in a three-game non-conference series. The two teams are also set to battle in the first round of the Peach Belt Conference tournament on May 8, in Aiken, South Carolina.

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DAHLONEGA, GA – The North Georgia baseball team rallied from a pair of deficits on Wednesday evening, including a 10th inning run that sent the Saints to a 5-4 victory over the University of West Georgia at Bob Stein Stadium in non-conference action.

The Saints sweep the season series from West Georgia, improving to 30-14 on the year, now winners in four of their last five games, while the Wolves fall to 13-37 on the season.
West Georgia scored the game’s first run in the second inning off a Mike Markakis single to center field, sending Brandon Mainor home to give the Wolves’ a 1-0 lead.

UWG added two more runs in the fourth frame with Markakis’ second RBI hit of the game, and Michael Hornsby lifted a sacrifice fly to left center, sending Michael Hollis racing to the plate without a throw and stretching the Wolves’ lead to 3-0.

The North Georgia bats finally came alive in the sixth inning with a trio a runs to knot the score 3-3. Andre Airich led off the inning with the 70th double of his career, a mark that is now the best in Peach Belt Conference history. After a single from Anders Oster, Kenny Bellavance came to the dish and lined a double down the left field line, sending Airich to the plate and Oster to third with still nobody out in the inning. Chad Sage and Brad Hall followed with sacrifice flies later in the frame to cap the three-run sixth inning.

Both teams put up zeros until the ninth inning when Hornsby drove in his second run of the game, a two-out seeing-eye single through the right side, sending Hollis home and giving the Wolves a 3-2 lead with just three outs to get.

With one out in the ninth, Jordan Erisman stepped to the plate and took the second pitch he saw and planted it halfway up the hill past the fence in left field to deadlock the score once again, this time at 4-4.
The Wolves had a chance in the 10th inning to take the lead again with a runner on third and two outs, but Oster ranged to his left on a slow grounder and threw on to first where Troy Snitker made the scoop to send the game to bottom half of the inning still tied.

In the last of the 10th, Chad Sage led off the frame with a single up the middle to start the rally, and after Troy Snitker executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to send Sage to second, Brad Hall came to dish and ran the count full before lining a single to right field to score the winning run in a 5-4 victory.
Jacob Rickett (1-0) picked up the win in 2.0 innings of work, allowing two hits and no runs, while Alex Simmons tossed 5.0 innings, and Michael Patton got the start and lasted 3.0 innings, allowing three runs on three hits, while walking one.

North Georgia returns to action over the weekend with their final home games of the 2010 season. The Saints will welcome Truett-McConnell to town for single games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Saturday evening will serve as Senior Day as North Georgia will recognize 10 graduating players, while the Bob Stein Stadium dedication will take play on Sunday afternoon.

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AUGUSTA, GA – The North Georgia baseball team came out on Sunday afternoon in the rubber game of a weekend set at Augusta State and recorded 14 hits on their way to a 12-1 victory over the Jaguars in Peach Belt Conference action.

The Saints end their Peach Belt Conference regular season slate at 15-9 in league action, while moving to 29-14 on the year. Augusta State falls to 15-27 overall on the season and 5-16 in conference play.
North Georgia jumped on top in the first inning with a trio of runs and never looked back, adding five more in the fifth, three in the sixth, and a single run in the ninth for a 12-1 victory. ASU scored their only run of the game in the fifth inning as the Jags tallied nine hits and left seven runners on base.
Chad Sage had the game of the day, going 3-for-4 with a home run, four runs batted in, and two runs scored. The junior launched his team-leading 12th home run of the year as part of a three-run six inning.
Anders Oster was also 2-for-4 with three runs scores a run batted in as the senior doubled down the left field line in the first inning to plate the first run of the game.

Kenny Bellavance followed with sacrifice fly, and Sage capped the three-run opening frame with a single up the middle as the Saints never looked back.

Andrew Wallace (2-0) was the winner, tossing 6.0 innings and allowing a run on six hits while striking out three and walking one. Nick White came on in relief and recorded a pair of scoreless innings, while Michael Patton saw action in the ninth and struck out a pair to close the game.

The Saints currently sit second in the Peach Belt Conference’s west division, as they will spend the next two weekends in non-conference play before traveling to the PBC tournament in Aiken, South Carolina, May 8-9.

North Georgia returns to action on Wednesday afternoon, welcoming West Georgia to town for a non-conference match-up with the Wolves. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. at Bob Stein Stadium. The Saints traveled to Carrollton, Ga., earlier in the season and topped their in-state rival 7-3.

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FLORENCE, SC – The rubber game of a weekend series between 15th-ranked North Georgia and 9th-ranked Francis Marion was all about the Patriots as the Saints managed just two hits and fell 11-0 at Cormell Field on Sunday afternoon in Peach Belt Conference action.

North Georgia drops two of three in the weekend set, falling to 26-13 overall and 13-8 in the Peach Belt Conference, while the Patriots win the finale and improve to 31-9 overall and 12-6 in league action.
Barrett Kleinknecht was the story of the day for the Patriots, getting the job done on the mound and at the plate as the senior tossed 7.0 inning of one-hit ball, while striking out five and walking two for his fourth victory of the year. He was also stellar at the dish, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored to lead the offense.

The Saints’ only two base knocks came from the bats of Jordan Erisman and Andre Airich as the pair each tallied a hit, while the lineup struck out six times and walked three times.
The Patriots scored early and often in the finale, breaking out with a pair in the first, before adding four more in the second, two in the fifth, and three in the seventh for the 11-0 victory, and their second shutout in as many games.

James Wiley (4-1) suffered the loss for North Georgia, lasting just 1.1 innings and allowing five earned runs on six hits. Michael Patton came on in relief and allowing three runs on six hits, while Justin Yackee, Nick White, and Alex Simmons all saw work for the Saints out of the pen.
North Georgia will have a mid-week battle with Emory University on Tuesday evening, welcoming the Eagles to town for a single game set to start at 7:00 p.m. at Bob Stein Stadium.
The Saints will then hit the road for their third straight weekend road series, traveling to Augusta State for a PBC showdown against the Jaguars. The two squads will play a doubleheader on Saturday, followed by a single game on Sunday afternoon.

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DAHLONEGA, GA – The Saints of North Georgia hosted Southern Wesleyan, an NAIA opponent for a non-conference game on Wednesday evening, recording 19 hits on their way to a 12-6 victory over the Warriors at Bob Stein Stadium.

 
North Georgia improved to 25-11, 16-7 at home, and 7-2 in night games on the season, while Southern Wesleyan fell to 3-18 overall.

 
The North Georgia bats lead the way for the Saints in the early going as Andre Airich hit a monster home run for the Saints in the bottom of the first to give the Saints a 2-0 lead.  Southern Wesleyan rallied for three runs on four hits off starter Matt Adams in the first two innings.
The resilient Saints came roaring back in the bottom of the second, putting up a two-spot to once again take the lead from Southern Wesleyan.   The bullpen went to work in the top of the 3rd and held the Southern Wesleyan hitters quiet, allowing North Georgia to grab a comfortable four run lead in the bottom of the 6th inning.

Along with Airich, Troy Snitker proved to be a catalyst for the offense going 4-5 while scoring three runs for the Saints.  Justin Yackee picked up his 2nd win of the season giving up one run in two innings of work. Michael Patton pitched a scoreless 9th inning to close out the Warriors.

The 15th ranked Saints will take on the 9th ranked Patriots of Francis Marion in a critical Peach Belt conference matchup.   A double header is slated to start Saturday at 1:00 P.M., and the third game of the series will be played Sunday afternoon at 1:00 P.M.

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DAHLONEGA, GA – The North Georgia men’s basketball team continued to stay one of the hottest teams in the league Wednesday evening, holding on down the stretch to defeat Georgia Southwestern 65-61 in front of a sellout crowd in Memorial Hall in Peach Belt Conference action.

The Saints improve to 10-6 overall on the year, picking up their fifth straight victory, while moving to 5-1 in the Peach Belt Conference. The Hurricanes fall to 5-10 overall on the season and 1-5 in league action.

Rimmer led the Saints with a team-high 18 points and seven rebounds, while Andrew Bennett tallied 12 points and Michael Moynihan was the only other double figure scorer for the Saints with 10 points while adding four assists.

Chris Rawls recorded the game’s only double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Evan Mobley added 18 points and Marcus Scott tallied 11 points.

North Georgia shot 45.6 percent from the field, 25 percent from long range, and 76.9 percent from the free throw line, while the hurricanes were 45.8 percent from the floor, 46.2 percent from behind the arc, and 76.9 percent from the charity stripe.

North Georgia returns to action on Saturday evening, traveling to Clayton State University for an in-state showdown with the Lakers. Tip-off at the Athletics and Fitness Center is set for 7:30 p.m.

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DAHLONEGA, GA – The North Georgia women’s basketball team took the Hurricanes of Georgia Southwestern State University down to the wire on Wednesday evening, but came up short, falling 60-58 in front of a sellout crowd in Memorial Hall in Peach Belt Conference action.

The Lady Saints fall to 5-9 overall on the season and 1-5 in the Peach Belt Conference’s West Division, while the Hurricanes improve to .500 on the year at 8-8 overall and an even 3-3 in the league’s West Division.

The early going proved to be the story of the game as four ties and three lead changed took place in the first five minutes, with neither team gaining more than a two point advantage along the way.

The second half proved to be as action packed as the first with neither team ever leading by more than three points over the first five minutes.

The Hurricanes would force North Georgia to foul over the final 30 seconds as GSW knocked down four free throws, but Montgomery hit another clutch three-pointer in the final seconds before the Lady Saints’ defense forced a five-second call on the ensuing inbounds play. Down by two with two seconds to play, North Georgia was unable to convert, giving GSW the two-point road victory.

Montgomery led the Lady Saints with 14 points while pulling down eight rebounds and tallying four assists. Janyce Ealey added 14 points as well, while Randolph recorded 13 points and five blocks.

Nadirah Gardner led GSW with 14 points, while Terra Branch added 12 points and Whitley Wiltz chipped in a game-high 13 rebounds for the Hurricanes.

North Georgia returns to action on Saturday evening, traveling to Clayton State University for an in-state showdown with the Lakers. Tip-off at the Athletics and Fitness Center is set for 5:30 p.m.

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GREENWOOD, SC – The North Georgia men’s basketball team picked up their third straight victory Saturday afternoon, making it five victories in their last six games with a 79-65 over Lander University at Horne Arena in Peach Belt Conference action.

The Saints continue to roll in Peach Belt Conference play, winning their third straight game and improving to 8-6 overall on the season and 3-1 in league action. Lander falls to three games under the .500 mark at 6-9 on the year and 1-6 in conference action.

Balanced scoring was the story of the day for the Saints who placed four players in double figures, led by Michael Moynihan who tallied 17, followed by Rimmer with 15, Carl Taylor with 13, and Andrew Bennett with 12.

Dane Sparrow paced the Bearcats with 15 points on 4-6 shooting from long range, while Harris had 14 points and Greg Smalls chipped in 11 points and five assists.

The Saints shot 57.4 percent from the field, 55.6 percent from behind the arc, and 75 percent free throw line, while Lander was 43.1 percent from the floor, 35.3 percent from long range, and just 50 percent from the charity stripe.

North Georgia will have a day off before returning to action on Monday evening, hosting USC Aiken in Memorial Hall with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. The matchup between the Saints and Pacers will be the only of the regular season as North Georgia plays their third game in the last five days.

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GREENWOOD, SC – The recent struggles continued for the North Georgia women’s basketball team on Saturday afternoon, mounting a second-half comeback, but falling 80-65 at 15th-ranked Lander University at Horne Arena in Peach Belt Conference action.

The Lady Saints’ bid to upset their first ranked opponent in more than two years came up short as North Georgia falls to 5-7 overall on the year and 1-3 in Peach Belt Conference play. The Bearcats however, continued their winning streak, taking their seventh straight game and improving to 14-1 on the year and a perfect 7-0 in league play.

Randolph continued her stellar play, leading all scorers with 24 points and while pulling down seven rebounds. The senior was 8-12 from the field and 7 -8 from the free throw line while making her only three-point attempt.

Sarah Stinson and Montgomery were the only other North Georgia players in double figures, adding 12 points apiece.

Lander’s balanced scoring featured four players in double figures, led by McKever who tallied 17 points, while Johnson added 12, Ciara Lyons chipped in 11, and Brianna Webb recorded 10 points.

North Georgia returns to action on Monday evening, hosting USC Aiken in Memorial Hall with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.

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MONTEVALLO, AL – The North Georgia men’s basketball team never trailed Wednesday evening against the 13th-ranked team in the country, jumping on top early and never looking back in a 68-67 victory over previously unbeaten the University of Montevallo at BankTrust Arena in PBC action.

The Saints improve to 7-6 on the season and 2-1 in the conference’s West Division, while the Falcons fall for the first time this season, dropping to 12-1 overall and 2-1 in the PBC West Division.

Montevallo, who moved up two spots yesterday afternoon to 13 in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll, drop their first game as a member of the Peach Belt Conference.

The last time North Georgia defeated a ranked opponent was nearly a year ago as the Saints hosted 9th-ranked USC Aiken and upended the Pacers 77-67 in Memorial Hall.

North Georgia opened the game on an 11-5 run, putting unbeaten Montevallo on their heels right out of the gate. Keldrick Coleman gave the Saints the six-point lead with a layup at the 14:18 mark of the first half.

The Saints led by as many as 13 points in the first half, margin North Georgia held at two different times in the opening period. Carl Taylor knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing with 59 seconds remaining in the half to create a 41-28 advantage, before Michael Moynihan scored in the final points of the first half, hitting a jumper in the lane to give the Saints a 43-30 halftime edge over the Falcons.

Montevallo would push the ball up the floor and Jonas Brown hit a three-pointer with 1:17 left on the clock, making it a 66-63 North Georgia advantage before the Saints called a timeout with 60 ticks remaining. After running the shot clock down, Michael Moynihan was stripped driving to the basket, but a foul was called and the senior guard converted one of two free throws.

The Falcons then inched even closer as Cecil Coleman grabbed an offensive board and hit a put back to make it a two-point game at 67-65 with 32 seconds remaining. Montevallo fouled Pat Moynihan and the freshman hit the front end of a one-in-one, but missed the second, giving the home team a chance, down three points with 16.6 seconds remaining on the clock.

In the final possession of the game, pressure defense from North Georgia never allowed the Falcons to get a look as Dortch forced up a three-pointer and Coleman was there for the rebound and tip in as time expired, giving the Saints a one-point victory on the road.

North Georgia shot 50 percent from the field, 45.5 percent from long range, and 58.3 percent from the charity stripe, while the University of Montevallo was 50 percent from the floor, 46.7 percent from behind the arc, and 66.7 percent from the free throw line.

Michael Moynihan paced a pair of Saints in double figures, posting 13 points and six assists, while Bennett finished with 10 points on 5-7 shooting from the floor. Rimmer and Taylor chipped in nine points apiece, while Kindall Butler added seven points and four rebounds.

Gerald January led the Falcons with a game-high 20 points, while Dortch had 16 and Coleman finished with 12 in the losing effort.

North Georgia returns to action on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Greenwood, South Carolina, to take on Lander University in another Peach Belt Conference road game. Tip-off is schedule for 3:30 p.m. against the Bearcats.

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MONTEVALLO, AL – The North Georgia women’s basketball team held a 10-point first-half lead on Wednesday evening, but the University of Montevallo clawed their way back into the game and held on for the 70-59 victory at BankTrust Arena in Peach Belt Conference action.

The Lady Saints drop to 5-6 on the season and 1-2 in the conference, while the Falcons improve to 8-5 on the year and pick up their first-ever Peach Belt Conference victory to improve to 1-2 in the league.

North Georgia jumped out to a quick lead, opening the game on a 14-5 run as Meredith Montgomery knocked down a three-pointer with 12:46 remaining in the first half to give the Lady Saints a nine-point advantage.

Whitney Randolph’s jumper gave North Georgia their largest lead of the game at 10 points with 4:40 remaining in the opening period, but the Falcons had an answer, scoring 16 straight points to close the first half and take a six-point lead into intermission at 36-30.

In the second half, Montevallo jumped out a double-digit lead, but the Lady Saints came back and pulled to within four points at the 14:05 mark as Sarah Stinson pulled down an offensive rebound and Ieshia Alexander found Randolph for a jumper to make it 43-39.

The Falcons would answer with back-to-back three-pointers and never look back, leading by as many as 15 points at two different times down the stretch before holding on the 11-point victory.

North Georgia shot 34 percent from the field, 29.4 percent from long range, and 72 percent from the charity stripe, while the University of Montevallo was 41.3 percent from the floor, 36.8 percent from behind the arc, and 64.7 percent from the free throw line.

Randolph led all scorers with 24 points while pulling down 12 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. She was 8-15 from the field and 8-10 from the charity stripe in 38 minutes of action. Janyce Ealey picked up her fourth double-double of the season as well, and her second in the last three games with 15 points and 11 rebounds, knocking down four of eight three-pointers.

Four Montevallo players finished in double figures, led by Alicia Lewis who tallied 16 points on 5-10 shooting from behind the arc. Carrie Parrott and Alex Sanabria added 13 points apiece, while Shan Jones chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds.

North Georgia returns to action on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Greenwood, South Carolina, to take on 15th-ranked Lander University in another Peach Belt Conference road game. Tip-off is schedule for 1:30 p.m. against the Bearcats.

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COLUMBUS, GA – The North Georgia men’s basketball team faced an eight-point halftime deficit Saturday evening, but used a 14-1 run to open the second period and hold off Columbus State University 62-56 in Peach Belt Conference action.

North Georgia picks up their first road victory of the season and have now won three of their last four games, improving to 6-6 on the season, while picking up their first Peach Belt Conference victory of the season to move to 1-1 in the league’s West Division.

Columbus State falls to 6-4 on the season and drop their first conference game of the season, moving to 0-1 in the PBC’s West Division.

To open the second half, North Georgia clamped down on defense and started to put all the pieces together, using a 14-1 run over the first seven minutes to take a five-point lead at 39-34 with 12:54 remaining in the game. The Saints held Columbus State without a field goal for the first 7:25 of the second half until Chris Telesford hit a layup at the 12:35 mark.

After the Saints took their first lead of the game with 15:25 remaining on a bucket from Andrew Bennett, North Georgia would never trail, leading by as many as eight points at four different times before holding on for the six-point victory. Columbus State pulled as close as three points twice in the final 10 minutes, but the Saints’ pressure defense held the Cougars at bay down the stretch.

Andrew Bennett led all scorers with a career-high 24 points while pulling down seven rebounds. Bennett spearheaded the second-half rally with 19 of his points coming in the second period. The Moynihan brothers were the only other double figure scorers for the Saints as Pat and Michael both tallied 10 points apiece.

Donta Ridley led Columbus State with 12 points, while Telesford was the only other Cougar in double figures with 10 points and seven rebounds in 33 minutes of action.

North Georgia returns to action on next Wednesday evening with a trip to new league member the University of Montevallo. Tip-off against the Falcons is scheduled for 7:30 Eastern Standard Time.

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COLUMBUS, GA – The North Georgia women’s basketball team suffered their first league loss of the year Saturday afternoon, traveling to Columbus State University and watching the Cougars pull away late for the 86-76 victory over the Lady Saints in Peach Belt Conference action.

North Georgia has now been defeated in three of their last four contests, falling back to the .500 mark once again at 5-5 on the year, while dropping to 1-1 in the Peach Belt Conference’s West Division.

Columbus State gets back on track, now winners of six of their last seven games, the Cougars improve to 7-4 overall and 1-0 in the league’s West Division.

Four North Georgia players finished in double figures, led by 17 points from Whitney Randolph who went 6-10 from the field and 5-7 from the free throw line and pulled down six rebounds. Ealey and Alexander tallied 16 points apiece, while Marlow equaled her highest point total of the season with 11 points in 25 minutes of action.

Phebe Smith ran the show for the Cougars, scoring a game-high 30 points on 11-15 shooting from the floor and an 8-12 performance from the charity stripe. The senior also pulled down 13 rebounds for a double-double. Ashley Stafford chipped in 13 points, while Monique Jefferson tallied 11, and Renee Jackson added 10.

North Georgia shot 55.3 percent from the field, 25.0 percent from long range, and 76.7 percent from the free throw line, while Columbus State was 46.5 percent from the floor, 17.6 percent from behind the arc, and 73.9 percent from the charity stripe.

The Lady Saints committed 24 turnovers to just 12 for Columbus State, while the Cougars held a slight rebounding advantage of 34-31.

North Georgia returns to action on next Wednesday evening with a trip to new league member the University of Montevallo. The Lady Saints will take on the Falcons for the 18th time in school history as tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 Eastern Standard Time.

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DAHLONEGA, GA – The North Georgia men’s basketball team opened their Peach Belt Conference season Monday evening, taking on 3rd-ranked Augusta State University and falling 85-62 as the unbeaten Jags continued their perfect season in Memorial Hall.

Augusta State stays undefeated on the season, improving to 11-0 overall and 3-0 in the Peach Belt Conference, while North Georgia falls to a game under the .500 mark, moving to 5-6 overall and falling to 0-1 in the league.

In the opening minutes, the Jaguars quickly jumped out to a 10-point lead, using a dunk by Fred Brathwaite with 16:00 minutes in the first half to give ASU a 12-2 advantage.

North Georgia would pull to within three points twice in the final 10 minutes of the first period, but the Jags surged down the stretch to take an 11-point lead at 40-29 heading into intermission.

Augusta came out on fire in the second half, going on a 13-2 run to open the period as the Jags never looked back, leading by double digits the rest of the way in the victory.

Michael Moynihan was the bright spot offensively for the Saints, scoring a game-high 20 points on a 7-8 shooting performance from the free throw line. Carl Taylor was the only other North Georgia player in double figures, tallying 11 points with nine of those coming from behind the arc.

Four ASU players finished in double figures, including Alex Smith who put up a team-high 18 points, while Ben Madgen added 17 to become the Peach Belt Conference’s all-time leading scorer.

North Georgia shot 32.8 percent from the floor, 27.8 percent from behind the arc, and 63 percent from the free throw line, while Augusta State was 50.8 percent from the field, 31.3 percent from long range, and 87 percent from the charity stripe.

The Saints return to action on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Columbus State University for an in-state matchup with the Courgars. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. at the Lumpkin Center.

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DAHLONEGA, GA – The North Georgia women’s basketball team got off on the right foot to start conference play, jumping out to a 14-point half time lead before holding for a 71-64 overtime victory over Augusta State University Monday evening in Peach Belt Conference action.

North Georgia improves to 5-4 overall on the season and move to 1-0 on the year in Peach Belt Conference play. Augusta State’s struggles continue, falling to 1-11 overall and 3-0 in the league.

In regulation, North Georgia had the final chance, holding the ball until the final seconds with score tied 60-60, but a running layup from Meredith Montgomery came up short, sending both teams into their first overtime game of the season.

In overtime, the Lady Saints jumped on top quickly and never looked back, leading by as many as seven points at two different points, a margin that turned out to be the final score at 71-64.  

Janyce Ealey led all scorers with 19 points, while adding a game-high 10 rebounds for a double-double. Montgomery and Sarah Stinson rounded the North Georgia players in double figures, adding 12 points apiece.

Briyana Evans finished with 18 points on 8-11 shooting from the charity stripe to lead Augusta State, while Stacey Lampkin added 13 points and came up a rebound shy of a double-double.

The Lady Saints return to action on Thursday evening, hosting Truett-McConnell College in Memorial Hall with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m. for the in-state rivals.

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DAHLONEGA, GA – The North Georgia College & State University baseball team is ranked 24th in the preseason College Baseball Newspaper NCAA Division II top 40 poll released Monday afternoon.

This marks the third straight year North Georgia has been ranked in the preseason top 40 poll after being selected 21st in 2008, and 17th last season before rising to #6 in the nation the first week in March.

The Saints are one of five teams ranked in the Peach Belt Conference as USC Aiken came in at #6, followed by Francis Marion at #12, and GCSU at #27. Armstrong Atlantic and Columbus both received votes but were not ranked in the top 40.

North Georgia returns eight starting position players from a year ago, including infielder Andre Airich who was named second-team ABCA/Rawlings All-Southeast Region after earning PBC First-Team All-Conference honors and being named to the 2009 Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament team. He hit .386 during the 2009 season with 10 home runs, 63 runs batted in, and 143 total bases.

Daniel Petitti returns behind home plate after picking up his second ABCA/Rawlings All-Southeast Region Gold Glove last season. The Roswell, Ga., native committed just three errors during the 2009 season for a .992 fielding percentage. He threw out 21 base stealers, picked off 10 runners, and recorded a .563 stolen base against percentage.

Brad Hall returns for his junior season after being named to the 2009 Peach Belt All-Conference team. Hall hit .305 during the last season with 13 home runs, 11 doubles, and 55 runs batted in, and was fifth in the PBC in home runs, and had a slugging percentage of .592.

North Georgia’s 50-game slate opens February 5th, hosting Pfeiffer University for a three-game weekend series, while the regular season will wrap up in St. Augustine, Florida, taking on Flagler College for a trio of games.

North Georgia opens Peach Belt Conference action on February 27, hosting UNC Pembroke for a three-game slate, before traveling to Milledgeville, Ga., the following weekend for a trio of games against in-state rival GCSU.

Head coach Tom Cantrell enters his 11th season at the helm of the Saints in 2010, posting an overall record of 407-219 during is tenure at North Georgia.

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