THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University baseball team lost a pair of games, 9-4 and 6-3 to Warner University Saturday afternoon at Varnedoe Stadium. 

With three Sun Conference games left to play, Thomas is seventh in the league with a 25-23 overall record and 6-15 conference mark. 

The Night Hawks wrap up the home schedule next weekend with three games against Ave Maria (Fla.). The teams play a doubleheader on Friday starting at noon, then the final game on Saturday at noon. 

Prior to Saturday's game, Thomas will retire former baseball coach Mike Lee's No. 54 jersey. In a pregame ceremony, the department of athletics will unveil a sign saluting No. 54, which will hang on the outfield fence at Varnedoe Stadium. Lee will throw out the first pitch surrounded by his family, university administration, alumni and special guests. Fans are invited to meet and greet with Coach Lee at a barbecue down the third base line. 

Game One
Warner struck first with one run in the first frame, then Thomas took the lead after scoring two in the bottom of the first. Warner added two in the fourth, one in the sixth and five in the seventh to take the 9-2 lead. TU fought back with two in the bottom of the eighth. 

Pitcher Justin Young struck out four but allowed four runs from eight hits in 5.2 innings to take the loss for TU. 

Chase Hinson was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Jalbert Melo and Taylor Westbrook were each 2-for-3 with a walk. 

An error and a wild pitch by TU led Warner to its first run in the top of the first inning. 

Gavin Murphy reached on an error then Hinson had a base hit to start the bottom of the first. Melo singled to right field, but was thrown out at second as he cleared the bases, giving TU the 2-1 lead. 

Warner's two runs came from a double and a pair of Royals singles in the fourth. Then in the sixth, WU connected on three hits and TU had one error to allow one more run. The Royals then scored five runs in the seventh, as the Night Hawks allowed three walks and two singles, hit one batter with a pitch and threw a wild pitch.

Thomas added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, as Murphy reached on an error then Hinson connected on an RBI double. Westbrook then drove in Hinson with a base hit. 


Game Two
Warner scored a pair of runs in each of the first and second innings, then TU scored a pair in the bottom of the second. Warner added one in the sixth, Thomas answered with one in the seventh, then WU ended the scoring with a lone run in the eighth to take the 6-3 win. 

Pitcher Holden Alexander was dealt the loss, striking out one, allowing four runs from seven hits in 2.0 innings. 

Jake Webb was 3-for-5 and Wyatt Petrey connected on a double for the Night Hawks. 

In each of the first two innings, Warner scored two runs from three hits. 

Justin Young led off the second with a single, then Petrey doubled and Murphy drew a walk to load the bases. Logan Place drove in one with a single, then Trent Miller sent a sac fly to center to plate TU's second run. 

Warner's run in the sixth came after a batter was hit by a pitch, then a Royal hit a double and TU had a balk. 

Consecutive base hits from Miller and Webb set up Hinson's sac fly to center, plating Thomas' final run. 

With two outs in the eighth, Warner connected on a single and a double to score its final run.