JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Night Hawks faced two challenging games against Trinity College of Jacksonville dropping the midweek doubleheader and earning the season split with the Eagles.
Game 1: Thomas 4, Trinity 10
The Night Hawks fell to Trinity despite tallying nine hits, including a couple of doubles. Trinity struck first, gaining a 2-0 lead in the second inning. The Night Hawks responded in the third inning with a rally;
Seth Waltimyer singled, followed by a double from
Brayden Lawhon, setting up
Max Pickert, who singled to center field, bringing in two runs. However, Trinity countered with a five-run burst, stretching their lead to 7-2 by the end of the third. They added three more runs in the fourth pushing the lead to 10-2.
In the fifth, the Night Hawks chipped away at the deficit.
Lucas Dufresne singled to drive in a run, and
Drew Clayton walked with the bases loaded, closing the gap to 10-4. The score remained unchanged through the seventh inning, with both teams held scoreless in the final frames.
On the mound for Thomas,
Ryan Chapman pitched two innings.
Charlie Eidelman came in for one inning,
Wesley Ward pitched an inning, while
Michael Surane delivered two scoreless innings, striking out five.
Offensively, Waltimyer scored twice and collected two hits, showcasing a strong performance. Lawhon added a double, scored two runs, and drew two walks, while Pickert contributed two hits and two RBIs.
Game 2: Thomas 7, Trinity 11
In the second game, the Night Hawks came up short again against Trinity. Trinity took an early 5-0 lead. They extended their lead to 7-0 in the second inning.
Thomas finally broke through in the fourth inning, with
Max Pickert scoring on a double by
Noah Smith, cutting the deficit to 7-1. The Night Hawks added two more runs in the fifth, highlighted by an RBI single from Smith. However, Trinity responded with four runs, stretching their lead to 11-3.
The Night Hawks made a spirited comeback in the sixth, with
Lucas Dufresne hitting a bases clearing three-RBI double, followed by an RBI single from
Jackson Thomas, narrowing the score to 11-7.
Knox Ledbetter took the mound for Thomas, pitching one inning.
Reece Holloway pitched 0.2 of an inning, while
Nate Burnsed delivered 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.
Tyler Marczak and
Ashton O'Quinn combined for one inning.
Levi Siebenmorgan closed out the game with an inning of shutout work only allowing a walk.
Seth Waltimyer again made an impact with two runs and two hits, including a double, while Dufresne drove in three runs with a double. Smith contributed two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs.
Up next for the Night Hawks is an SSAC matchup against Blue Mountain Christian University (Miss.) at 1 p.m. Friday, March 27, at Varnedoe Stadium in Thomasville, Georgia.
