YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Nick Sexton's RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning brought Zach Odom home with the eventual game-winning run as Young Harris edged the UNC Pembroke baseball team, 4-3, in the series opener on Friday evening at Zell B. Miller Field.

The setback snapped a six-game win streak for the Braves (20-9, 7-6 PBC) who out-hit the hosts by an 11-4 margin in the contest, but stranded eight runners on the base paths as well. It was just the second win in the last seven outings for the Mountain Lions (10-17, 5-11).

Drew Beaver drove in a pair of runs on a 3-for-4 outing for the Black & Gold, while Justin Dattilo scored twice on a 2-for-4 night at the plate. Nick Salisbury (2-for-3) singled twice and was hit by pitch once for the visitors as well. Zach Beggs (1-for-1, 2 R) and Troy Kizer (1-for-3) both hit home runs to pace the Mountain Lions.

Jesse Stinnett (5-1) struck out eight and allowed just four hits over his first complete game of the season, but suffered his first loss of the campaign after also surrendering four earned runs. Cody Beck (2-3) allowed two hits and one run over the game's final 2-2/3 innings to pick up the win for the hosts.

UNCP used a wild pitch to draw first blood in the top of the first inning, but Young Harris took its first lead of the night on a 2-run homer by Kizer with two outs in the second. Dattilo doubled to lead off the fourth and later scored on a RBI single by Beaver that knotted things back up, but Beggs led off the fifth with a home run to the gap in centerfield to hand the lead back to the Mountain Lions.

Dattilo (leadoff single) and Beaver (RBI single) teamed up to tie the score back up again in the top of the eighth, but Odom drew a four-pitch walk with one out in the bottom of the frame and moved into position on an ill-timed wild pitch to set the table for Sexton.

The squads will close out the weekend series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday in northwest Georgia.