THOMASVILLE, GA | On Friday Afternoon, the Thomas University Night Hawks (10-5) hosted SSAC foe, HBCU, Stillman College Tigers (5-5), in a doubleheader to kick off a three-game conference series. This marked the Night Hawks return to their home turf after a string of ten straight away games. The Night Hawks entered the series with confidence following a dominant midweek win against Albany State 14-3, while the Tigers split a series with Paine College (1-1) earlier in the week.

Game One vs. Stillman College

Kason Buie set the tone early with a lead-off homerun, putting the Night Hawks ahead 1-0. The offensive onslaught continued as Gabe Tafelski added to the lead with an RBI single, extending the Night Hawks  advantage to 2-0. Thomas University continued to pile on the runs in the second inning. Turner Maddox capitalized on an error by the shortstop, reaching first base and bringing in another run to stretch the lead to 3-0.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, Matt Williams hit an RBI single adding to the Night Hawks lead making the score 4-0. The Night Hawks would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly from Maddox, and a RBI single from JT Whatley, to extend the lead to 6-0. TU added one final run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Buie came through once again with an RBI double, securing the Night Hawks commanding 7-0 victory.
 
RHP Sophomore AJ Wydra carried a no-hitter into the seventh, and final inning.  The no-hitter bid was broken out with a two-out single, between the first baseman and second basebam,  to right field.  Wydra got the win for the Night Hawks, pitching a 7.0 inning shutout while allowing one walk, and six strikeouts.  Kason Buie went 3-for-4 on the night including a homerun in the first inning, and a RBI double in the fifth inning.

Game Two vs. Stillman College

In game two, the Tigers surged ahead with a commanding 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. However, the Night Hawks quickly responded, getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with a RBI single from Turner Maddox, narrowing the deficit to 4-1. Despite Thomas University's efforts, Stillman continued to pour on run, adding one run in the third, four in the fourth, and three in the fifth inning, extending their lead to a commanding 12-1.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Thomas University clawed back with a pair of runs. Elias Garcia drove in Easton Willis, with a sacrifice fly, and Gabe Tafelski was hit by a pitch, bringing in another run to make the score 12-3. However, the Tigers wasted no time responding in the top of the sixth inning, scoring two runs with a homerun to extend their lead back to eleven.
 
Down to their final strike before getting run-ruled (10 run lead after seven innings). the Night Hawks bats caught fire in the bottom of the seventh inning, rallying to plate seven runs and narrow the run gap to just three. Michael Sowers ignited the surge with a three-RBI home run, on a two-strike pitch.  That was followed by Kason Buie's bases-loaded walk, and JT Whatley's clutch two-RBI double to left center field, bringing the score to 14-10. Despite a late-game push with two more runs in the eighth and one in the ninth, Thomas University fell just short, concluding the game with a narrow 14-13 defeat.
 
RHP Sophomore Drew Letchworth got the start for the Night Hawks pitching 2.2 innings, allowing five runs, three walks, and three strikeouts. The Night Hawks had eleven hits, including multiple hits from Cameron Tyson, Mike Sowers, Easton Willis, and Turner Maddox.