Related: Boraski, Baseball Knot Up Series At Georgia Southwestern

AMERICUS, Ga. – The UNC Pembroke baseball team rallied back from a pair of deficits and used a 4-run seventh inning to take the lead for good as the Braves captured their second-straight Peach Belt Conference series with an 8-6 victory at Georgia Southwestern on Sunday afternoon.
 
It was the seventh win in the last nine outings for the Braves (23-11, 7-8 PBC) who will return to Sammy Cox Field for four home games this week. The Hurricanes (13-20, 6-9) have now dropped seven of their last 10 contests, including four of their last six in Americus, Ga.
 
Roberto Rivera walked twice and scored three times on a 1-for-3 day at the plate for the visitors, while Drew Beaver homered for the first time since the season opener to support a 1-for-4 showing at the dish. Luke Jackson and Nolan Pierce each turned in 2-for-3 hitting lines, while Ethan Baucom drove in a trio of runs and scored twice on a 1-for-4 performance.
 
Four different players turned in two hits apiece for Georgia Southwestern, while Will Redding drove in three runs on a 1-for-4 day.
 
Dale Masterson (2-0) picked up the win in relief for the Braves, yielding one earned run and two hits in two innings from the hill. Hayden Buffkin struck out one in a scoreless eighth inning, but was not awarded a decision. Starter Jordan McIlwain (2-4) saddled the loss for the Hurricanes after allowing six earned runs on as many hits and five walks in 6-1/3 innings of work.
 
UNCP used a RBI groundout by Baucom in the first to light up the scoreboard early, but Georgia Southwestern stormed out in front on consecutive two-out RBI singles by Alex Kranick and Evan Alderman. The Braves evened the score up on Jarratt Mobley's sac fly with one out in the fifth, but Jonathan Martin's RBI double in the bottom half of the inning put the hosts back out in front again.
 
The Braves put a pair of runners in scoring position with one out in the seventh, and used a two-run single by Baucom moments later to take the lead for good. Beaver's dinger two batters later, as well as lone runs in the eighth and ninth frames, would give the Black & Gold insurance runs they would eventually need.
 
Redding's two-run single with one out in the ninth made the score too close for comfort, and the Hurricanes eventually loaded the bases when Kranick drew a free pass. Reliever Kyle Ramsey would get his feet back beneath him, however, and induced a game-ending groundout off the bat of Alderman.
 
The Braves will be back in action again on Tuesday when they open up a four-game home stand against Benedict (17-8) at Sammy Cox Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and fans are encouraged to bring their dogs to the stadium as part of Bark at the Park Night.