BABSON PARK, Fla. – The Thomas Night Hawks earned their first win of the 2026 season by beating the eighth ranked Webber International Warriors on Saturday afternoon.
Things picked up in the bottom of the second as Jaylen Roque found his way on with a double to left center. After a flyout, Braeden Callahan stepped in the box, and when a ball got by the catcher, Roque advanced to third, putting the first run 90 feet away.
Callahan drew a walk to bring up Lucas Dufresne, who knocked a single through to bring Roque home. Then Jackson Thomas snuck one into left to load the bases.
A strikeout brought Thomas down to their last out of the inning; however, they were back to the top of the order with Elias Garcia up to bat. He hit one into the gap between short and third to score Callahan and Dufresne. Next up was Brayden Lawhon who grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Issac Padilla got the start on the mound for the Night Hawks. With a three-run cushion, the freshman sat down the next three Warrior batters to go into the top half of the third.
Max Pickert led off the third by reaching on an error by the second baseman, then Roque drew a walk to put two on with no outs. Gabe Talfelski stood in the box, and on a full count, he hit a bouncer right to the pitcher who turned to throw to second, but the throw was off-line going into the outfield, bringing home Pickert to extend the lead to four.
After a strikeout, Dufresne hit a single into left to load the bases again as Jackson Thomas came up to bat. Unfortunately, he grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The defense came up big as Webber had a runner in scoring position with one out. On a fly ball into shallow left, Pickert tracked the ball down and made a spectacular sliding catch, then threw out the runner at second to end the inning.
Neither team was able to get a run across in the fourth, but Thomas began to string together some hits in the fifth. Roque hit a single off the pitcher, then later advanced to second on a throwing error on a pick-off.
Following free passes issued to Callahan and Dufresne, the bases were once again loaded with one out. Jackson Thomas knocked one to left to score Roque, and then Tyler Marczak brought home Callahan on a fielder's choice to go up 6-0.
Padilla continued to deal on the mound as he held the Warriors scoreless through 5.1 innings before they got on the board in the sixth. In the seventh, Sawyer Smith came on in relief and held Webber hitless through the final three innings. Capping off the upset with two straight strikeouts to seal the victory.
Earning the win in his Night Hawk debut, Padilla allowed four hits and a walk through six innings of work with a pair of strikeouts. Smith earned the save, walking two batters and striking out four.
Garcia paced the bats for Thomas, coming away with three hits and a pair of RBI. Dufresne also had a pair of hits and an RBI. Finally, Jackson Thomas and Roque had two hits as well, and Thomas came away with an RBI.
The Night Hawks will return home this week for their home opener against No.14 Reinhardt. Game one will be Friday, Feb. 6 at 4:00p.m. and then a doubleheader starting at 1:00p.m on Saturday, Feb.7.
