JACKSON, TN  |  On Thursday night, the #7 Thomas University Night Hawks (27-23) faced off against the #3 Point University Skyhawks (32-17) in the second game of the Southern States Athletic Conference baseball tournament. After a loss on night one, the Night Hawks looked to flip the results to stay alive for a chance for a spot in the SSAC Championship game.
 
In the bottom of the second inning, JT Whatley ignited the Night Hawks offense with a leadoff single. Turner Maddox advanced Whatley to second base with a ground ball to second, setting the stage for Gabe Tafelski, who delivered an RBI double to left center field, putting Thomas University ahead 1-0. However, the Skyhawks responded with three runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-1 lead.
 
In the top of the fourth inning, the Night Hawks offense surged as they scored three runs to reclaim the lead. Jean Pool Checo ignited the rally with a single, followed by a one-out single from Turner Maddox, putting runners on first and second for TU. An error by the third baseman allowed Checo to score and advanced Maddox to third, setting the stage for Easton Willis, who tied the game with an RBI single to center field, scoring Maddox. Cameron Rosario then grounded into a fielder's choice, bringing home another run to give Thomas University a 4-3 lead.
 
Building on their momentum, the Night Hawks continued their offensive surge in the fifth inning, adding another run to their lead. Riley Borgert began the inning with a four-pitch walk, and Max Pickert followed with a single. Checo hit a hard lineout to right field, but an error allowed Borgert to score all the way from second base, stretching the Night Hawks lead to 5-3.
 
Brandon Steele showcased his pitching skills in the seventh inning, stepping into a challenging situation with runners on first and second and no outs. Despite the pressure, he managed to escape the jam with two groundouts and a strikeout. In the eighth inning, Steele continued to perform well, recording three strikeouts. He closed out the game in the ninth inning with another strikeout, securing the Night Hawks 5-3 victory.
 
Thomas University returns to the field on Friday afternoon at 5PM ET for game three of the SSAC tournament against the #6 Middle Georgia Knights. With a 3-1 record against the Knights this season, the Night Hawks aim to continue their success in this pivotal matchup.  For up-to-date information on awards and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up to date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU baseball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksBaseba.