LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University baseball team defeated West Virginia Tech, 8-3, then downed Georgia Gwinnett College, 10-9, Saturday afternoon.
 
Next Wednesday the team is back in action facing Albany State College in Albany, Ga., at 4 p.m.
 
Feb. 24-25 the Night Hawks will host the home opener at Varnedoe Stadium, battling University of Fort Lauderdale. Friday night's game will begin at 6 p.m., then the first pitch of Saturday's double-header will be at noon.
 
Game One
The Night Hawks collected 14 hits in the first game, led by a 3-for-4, four-RBI performance from Kason Buie.
 
Five Night Hawks connected on a pair of hits and each player scored at least one run: Matthew Delay, Jr., Jean Pool Checo, Cam Williams, Bradley Fleenor and Khadin Bastian.
 
With one out in the first, Checo singled to center field, and after base hits from Williams and Fleenor, Checo scored on a passed ball by WV Tech. Bastian put down a sac bunt to plate Williams, then Fleenor scored on a single through the right side by Buie, to give TU the 3-0 lead.
 
WV Tech scored three runs from a pair of hits, a walked batter, a HBP and a wild pitch in the second inning.
 
TU regained the lead in the top of the third, as Delay, Jr., hit a leadoff single, then scored on Williams' double to center, his fifth double of the season. Fleenor hit a two-out single and advanced to second on a base hit from Bastian, then scored on a failed pickoff attempt by the catcher. Buie then hit an RBI single to plate Bastian.
 
TU added two more in the top of the seventh by playing small ball. Delay, Jr., and Checo each hit singles, then moved around on a sac bunt from Williams. Bastian was intentionally walked to load the bases, then Buie singled to right, plating two final runs.
 
Alex Friesen earned the win for Thomas, striking out 10 and allowing just three runs from four hits while walking two in 6.0 innings. Logan Knight came in for 1.0 inning and picked up the save, striking out two of his three batters faced, and forcing the other to ground out.
 
 
Game Two
Georgia Gwinnett struck early with one run in the bottom of the first, but Kason Buie hit a solo homerun in the second to tie the game. GGC plated four in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead, 5-1.
 
Thomas added three in the sixth as Buie and Michael Sowers drew walks, then advanced on a single from Bradley Fleenor. With two outs, Matthew Delay, Jr., tagged an RBI-single, then Sowers scored on a wild pitch and pinch runner Hunter Kern scored on a passed ball.
 
GGC again countered with four runs in the bottom of the frame, taking the 9-4 lead.
 
The Night Hawks answered with six runs in the top of the seventh, then held the Grizzlies scoreless in the final inning while leaving three runners stranded.
 
In the top of the seventh, Jose Class, Jr., hit a leadoff single to center field, then Luis Rodriguez-Gallo drew a walk. Buie loaded the bases with a base hit through the left side. Sowers then hit an RBI single and Kern connected on a base hit that plated two runs. Sowers scored as Josh Johnson grounded into a double play. With two outs, Delay, Jr., singled to right, then stole second base. Bastian and Cam Williams each drew a walk to load the bases. Class was hit by a pitch, plating Delay, Jr. After a pitching change, Gallo walked with the bases loaded, plating Thomas' go-ahead run.
 
Logan Knight came in to pitch in the bottom of the seventh for Thomas, allowing a leadoff single to right. He then struck out back-to-back batters before giving up another single. GGC then loaded the bases after an error by Thomas, but Knight stuck out the final batter to earn the save and give Thomas the win.
 
Riley Fisher earned the win, striking out nine and allowing nine runs, five earned, from 11 hits in 6.0 innings. Knight allowed two hits and struck out three in 1.0 inning.