THOMASVILLE, Ga. – Strong pitching and hot bats helped the Thomas Night Hawks complete the comeback against the Brewton-Parker Barons on Friday night at Varnedoe Stadium.
The Barons started the game with a bang as Carson Kirby sent a shot into right on the first at-bat of the game. The scoring continued as Kennard Dawson got on base with a single and then Jeremi Lara doubled to center to score Dawson. Lara later came home with a single through the left side from Jordan Rahn. Following another single from the Barons, the Night Hawks turned a double play to get out of the inning.
Facing a three-run deficit, Thomas began to climb the mountain as
Elias Garcia hit a single up the middle, and advanced to second following a
Max Pickert groundout.
Carson Thomas drew a walk to put runners on first and second with two outs.
JT Whatley knocked a single back to the pitcher to score Garcia, then Aiden Reyes doubled into left center to bring home Thomas before a strikeout ended the inning.
In the top of the third, following back-to-back strikeouts by starter
Reilly Kuhar, he walked Rahn then the next batter reached on an error and after issuing a walk to Fred Guzman Diaz,
Sawyer Smith relived Kuhar and got the next batter out to get out of the jam. However, an inning later Kendell Wade got on and stole second and advanced to third on an error, then Kirby knocked a single through the left side to score the run. Kirby eventually came home on a fielder's choice, finishing the inning with a three-run lead.
The Night Hawks went into the bottom of the fifth with some momentum following a double play to end the top half of the inning. But the bats were still cold, until they weren't as Garcia lead off the inning with a double, after advancing on a groundout by Pickert, Thomas knocked a single into right to score Garcia, Whatley drew a walk to bring up Reyes who delivered on his second double of the day as Thomas came home to make it a one-run game.
Brayden Lawhon hit a single into right to score Whatley to tie the game at 5-5. Mike Sowers drew a walk to bring up
Seth Waltimyer, who tapped one to the shortstop but Barons Catcher Rahn failed to field the throw cleanly as Reyes scored the go-ahead run.
Cameron Tyson hit a sacrifice fly to score
Cameron Rosario to give the Night Hawks a two-run lead.
A quick inning from Smith held Brewton-Parker at bay in the sixth, and the Night Hawks took advantage as Thomas reached on a fielding error and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Whatley drew his second walk of the day and Reyes loaded the bases on a bunt single. Lawhon hit a grounder to the second baseman to score Thomas on the fielder's choice, but that would be all that came across for Thomas in the inning. Smith continued to deal as a one-two-three inning for the Barons brought the Night Hawks up in the seventh where they added more insurance as
Carson Thomas brought
Matthew Williams home to extend the lead to four.
Smith and the Thomas defense shut the door on Brewton-Parker as Smith allowed only one hit in the final two innings to close out the game. Smith allowed six hits and gave up two earned in 6.1 innings of work, he also struck out five. Reyes had a break out game as the freshman went 3-5, with a pair of doubles and two RBI.
The Night Hawks look to take series tomorrow as they play a doubleheader with the Barons starting at 1:00PM on Saturday, March 29th
