THOMASVILLE, GA |  On Wednesday afternoon, the Night Hawks (16-8) welcomed the Mighty Oaks (19-7) from Oakland City, Indiana, for a non-conference doubleheader. TU entered the match-up riding a two-game win streak following victories in games two and three against conference foe Brewton Parker.  The Night Hawks performance finally caught the eye of the NAIA baseball voters, as Thomas moved into the receiving votes category, in the national rankings, earlier in the day.

GAME ONE - OAKLAND CITY 6, THOMAS 2

Early in the first inning, both defenses displayed their defensive skills by turning double plays to halt any potential scoring threats. In the top of the second inning, the Mighty Oaks offense emerged aggressively as the lead off batter ignited the momentum with a home run over the left field wall, propelling Oakland City to a 1-0 lead. Following a walk and a passed ball, a runner advanced into scoring position at second base, where they were brought home by a double just two pitches later to extend their lead to 2-0.
 
In the top of the third inning, the Mighty Oaks continued to build on their lead by plating three more runs. The inning kicked off with back-to-back singles, setting the stage for an RBI double to left-center field, scoring one run with runners at second and third. A following 2-RBI single to center field extended the lead to 5-0. Oakland City tacked on one additional run in the top of the fourth inning, increasing their lead to 6-0.
 
The Night Hawks offense finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning plating one run, Easton Willis started the inning off with a double down the right field line, followed by Brayden Lawhon reached first base due to an error by the shortstop to also help advance Willis to third. Kason Buie grounded into a double play to allow Willis to score the lone run for the inning, cutting the lead to 6-1.
 
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Night Hawks offense started to find their rhythm and plated one run.  Willis kick-started the inning with a double down the right field line, followed by Lawhon reached first base due to an error by the second baseman, allowing Willis to advance to third. Despite a double play from Buie, Willis crossed home plate, cutting the deficit to 6-1. TU added one final run in the bottom of the sixth inning, with JT Whatley hitting a one-out double and advanced to third base after a passed ball. Mike Sowers then hit a sacrifice fly to score Whatley, this would be the final run for both teams as the final score ended at 6-2.
 
In game one, both Junior JT Whatley and Senior Easton Willis had standout performances at the plate. Whatley went 2-for-3, scoring a run and hitting a double and a single. Willis also had the same score line by going 2-for-3, scoring a run and recording a double and a single.

GAME TWO - THOMAS 3, OAKLAND CITY 1

In game two of the doubleheader, both teams demonstrated strong defensive performances early on, with neither side scoring a run and only registering one hit each through four innings. Nick Brady got the start for the Night Hawks in game two and would shine early by striking out four of the seven batters he faced while only allowing one walk and one hit.
 
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Night Hawks offense exploded, tallying three runs. The rally began with Max Pickert slamming the second pitch down the left field line for a lead-off double. Cameron Tyson then exhibited patience at the plate, working a full-count walk to give TU runners on first and second with no outs. Despite a fly out, the Night Hawks remained determined to drive in the runners on base for the first score of the game. Bryce Bitting entered the game as a pinch hitter with one out and wasted no time, driving the third pitch of the at-bat over the right field wall for a three-run homer. This electrifying hit gave the Night Hawks their first lead of the game, with a score of 3-0.
 
In the top of the sixth inning, the Mighty Oaks came to bat, eager to overcome TU's three-run lead. The lead-off batter kick-started the rally with a single, setting the stage for a potential comeback. With two passed balls, the runner on base aggressively stole both second and third base, seizing momentum and putting themselves in scoring position. The second batter of the inning was hit by the pitch to give the Oaks runners on the corners with no outs, the following batter would strikeout swinging for the first out, but the runner at first base would steal second base. Oakland City would get their first run of the game after a passed ball four would walk a batter and score one run to cut the score to 3-1 with runners on the corners again, only one out. Closing Pitcher Brandon Steele would come in for the Night Hawks in the top of the sixth inning with one out and runners on first and third. Steele would strike out the first batter he saw with four pitches to give the Oaks two outs, Hunter Kern would make a highlight play for the third out of the inning as he caught a looping fly ball in shallow right field to save two runs from scoring for the Oaks and maintained the lead at 3-1.
 
In the top of the sixth inning, the Mighty Oaks launched a determined offensive effort, seeking to erase TU's three-run advantage. The lead-off batter ignited the charge with a single, swiftly stealing second and third base on consecutive passed balls, placing the Oaks in prime scoring position. The pressure intensified as the second batter was struck by a pitch, putting runners at first and third with no outs.
 
Despite the tense circumstances, the Night Hawks managed to secure the first out as the following batter struck out swinging. However, the runner on first base stole second base to give the Oaks runners at second and third with only one out. Oakland City capitalized on a walk, allowing a runner to score from third base on a passed ball, reducing the deficit to 3-1 with runners on the corners and only one out.
 
With the game hanging in the balance, Closing Pitcher Brandon Steele entered the game with one out and runners on first and third. Steele made an immediate impact by striking out the first batter he faced on four pitches, providing the Oaks with two out. The Night Hawks defense held firm as Kern made a remarkable play for the third out, catching a looping fly ball in shallow right field to prevent two runs from scoring and preserve TU's 3-1 lead. Steele would close out the game in the top of the seventh inning as he would strikeout two of the three batters faced to cap off the Night Hawks 3-1 victory.
 
Sophomore RHP Sam Odiorne would get the win for the Night Hawks pitching 1.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits, one walk, and striking out three.
 
Max Pickert would go 2-for-3 in game two with a run score, a double, and a single.
 
Bryce Bitting would go 1-for-1, in game two, with a pinch-hit, three-run home run to help launch the Night Hawks over the Mighty Oaks.

UP NEXT

The Night Hawks will face William Carey for a three-game SSAC series at Varnedoe Stadium.  Game one is set for Friday at 6PM.  A doubleheader will be played on Saturday, beginning at 1PM. For updated game times, live stats, and broadcast information, follow Thomas Baseball at https://tunighthawks.com/sports/baseball.  For complete coverage of Night Hawks Athletics, please visit www.tunighthawks.com to stay updated with the latest news, scores, game previews and recaps.  Follow the Night Hawks on social media at @TU_Night_Hawks (Twitter), @tunighthawks (Instagram), and @thomasuniversityathletics (Facebook).