THOMASVILLE, GA | Twelve Night Hawks took to the field and Armory Field, for the final time, in the Thomas softball career. The group went home with a pair of victories, as the Night Hawks closed out the regular season.
THOMAS 7, POINT 6 (8 INNINGS)
Alissa Mankiewich would get the senior day start in game one for Thomas. Point would open the game with two consecutive bunt singles. With two on and none out, catcher Sarah Culp would throw down to 1st base to pick off a Skyhawk, but they play allowed the lead runner to advance to 3rd base. After a walk, Point would score on a fielder's choice, to take a 1-0 lead.
Kennedy Hardy would lead off the 3rd inning with a solo homerun. Adreanna Killingsworth would follow with a single and then be pinch ran for by Lauren Hicks. Hicks would steal 2nd base and move over to 3rd base on AnnMarie McAfee's ground out. An error on a Sarah Culp hit ball would allow Hicks to score. Grace Hodges, who ran for Culp, would score on Hailie Stewart's single to center field. Kristen Stellar would score on Elizabeth Soto's infield single.
Thomas would add another run in the 4th inning. Adreanna Killingsworth would lead off with a single and advance to 2nd base on the center fielder's error. Killingsworth would move to 3rd base on a passed ball. Sarah Culp would bring Killingsworth home on an RBI single. In the 5th inning, Elizabeth Soto, who reached base via an error, would score on a Kennedy Hardy single. Thomas would lead 6-1, after five complete innings.
Point would score five runs in the top of the 7th inning. The key hit by the Skyhawks was an RBI double, to left-center field, that would score three runs. Alissa Mankiewich, who was relieved in the 5th inning, would come back in to stop the bleeding and shut down Point. But the damage was done and the game was now tied, forcing extra innings.
After Point was retired in the top of the 8th inning, McAfee would lead off the bottom of the 8th inning with an infield single. Ava Nunez would pinch run for McAfee. Culp would attempt to sacrifice Nunez to 2nd base, but an error by the 3rd baseman would set up a 1st base and 2nd base situation. Allyson Mirick would move the runners to 2nd base and 3rd base, with a sacrifice. Kristen Stellar would hit a clean single to left field to end the game.
Kennedy Hardy, Adreanna Killingsworth, Sarah Culp, and Kristen Stellar would each collect a pair of hits in the game. Kennedy Hardy and Sarah Culp would each drive home two Night Hawks. Alissa Mankiewich would pick up her first victory of the season, pitching 6.1 innings, while allowing one earned run.
THOMAS 8, POINT 0
Thomas would score in three of their four at bats to win game two via the run rule.
Ansley Eason, who reached base via an error, scored on a Kennedy Hardy single, to give the Night Hawks a 1-0 lead, in the 1st inning.
In the 2nd inning, Hailie Stewart would lead off the inning with a walk. Faith Graben would get an infield single, to move Stewart to 2nd base. Averie Sheppard would collect the RBI when Stewart scored. Graben would move to 3rd base. Ansley Eason would double to center field and bring in both runners. Thomas would lead 4-0, after the 2nd inning.
Elizabeth Soto would lead off the 4th inning with a single. Faith Graben would then collect a bunt single. After a pair of stolen bases, Sheppard would hit a sacrifice fly to center field to collect another RBI. After an Eason walk, Kennedy Hardy would hit a double to bring home Graben and Eason. Grace Hodges would pinch run for Hardy and score on AnnMarie McAfee's single. Thomas would hold on to the 8-0 lead by shutting down the Skyhawks, in order, in the top of the 5th inning.
Kennedy Hardy would collect three RBIs, on two hits. Averie Sheppard and Ansley Eason would both have two RBIs also. Faith Graben also had two hits in the game. Dale Elmore would go the distance to pick up the win.
Thomas finished the season as the #8 seed in the upcoming SSAC Softball Championship. They will play Blue Mountain at 11 AM on Thursday, May 2nd, in Decatur, AL. With a victory, the Night Hawks will play again at 2 PM against #1 William Carey. With a loss, Thomas will face the loser of the Mobile vs. Brewton-Parker game at 4 PM, in an elimination game. Follow the SSAC Softball Tournament, Presented by Buffalo Wild Wings at https://ssacsports.com/tournaments/?id=6577. For up-to-date information on this game and other TU Athletics, visit http://www.TUNightHawks.com. Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, play-by-play, and feature stories of your TU Softball team by following them via X, previously known as Twitter, at @NightHawksSoftb.
