PEMBROKE — The first steps were taken in Georgia over the weekend. Now, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke baseball team has to figure out a way to continue its winning ways to assure themselves a berth in the Peach Belt Conference baseball tournament in May.

A day after sweeping Georgia Southwestern in a three-game set for their first Peach Belt Conference series win of the season, the Braves extended their winning streak to five on Tuesday with a 9-3 victory over Chowan.

Powered by five runs in the second inning and three in the sixth, the Braves (27-13, 7-10 PBC) improved to 9-2 this season in mid-week games and continued their hot pace heading into the most important conference series of the season Saturday at Lander.

“Our whole team is playing a lot better,” UNCP head coach Paul O’Neil said. “We have put ourselves in contention in the Peach Belt Conference race.”

Josh Bagley (3-1) pitched four solid innings, allowing a single run to get the win. The sophomore right-hander from Hope Mills said the key against Chowan was throwing strikes early in the count.

“I was able to keep hitters off balance tonight,” Bagley said. “Getting ahead in the count always keeps hitters’ thinking.”

Tyler Wood scattered seven hits over four innings while Matt Key worked a scoreless ninth for the Braves.

“We wanted to make sure our arms are fresh for Lander,” O’Neil said, noting that the rotation of Bagley, Wood and Key had been predetermined to protect Brave pitchers. “We knew going in just how many innings each guy would throw tonight.”

Braves’ senior Kevin Dietrich went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a solo homerun to left in the seventh. UNCP finished with 12 hits in all.

Josh Haley, who earned freshman of the week honors this week from the Peach Belt, opened the scoring for UNCP with a two-run single through the right side in the second inning. The Braves tacked on three more in the frame to lead 5-0.

Former Purnell Swett star Austin Eubanks got the loss for Chowan (20-12) after yielding six runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. Hawks’ second baseman Matt Crane enjoyed a 2-for-4 night at the plate, which included a RBI double in the seventh.

Jake Dailey (3-0, 4.14 ERA) will start on the mound today for the Braves against Chowan at Sammy Cox Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.