THOMASVILLE, Ga. — The Night Hawks (8-10, 1-2) soared to a commanding 7-2 win over Mobile (6-13, 2-1) on Friday night at Varnedoe Stadium. The offensive fireworks were fueled by a home run and six stolen bases, rounding out a ten-hit showcase against the Rams' pitching lineup.
Thomas wasted no time, jumping ahead in the first inning.
Elias Garcia took one for the team with a hit-by-pitch and hustled to third on a bunt single by
Brayden Lawhon. Teiresias Jones, pinch running for Lawhon, swiped second, setting the stage for
Max Pickert's RBI single.
Seth Waltimyer grounded out but scored Jones Jr. giving the Night Hawks an early 2-0 cushion.
Third inning action saw Garcia laying down a bunt single and later crossing home on a groundout from Lawhon. Pickert, patient at the plate, walked and eventually came around to score via a hit-by-pitch RBI from
Drew Clayton, stretching Thomas's lead to 4-1.
Mobile tried to claw back in the fourth with an unearned run from a bases-loaded walk, but the Night Hawks held firm with a 4-2 edge.
In the sixth,
Braeden Callahan walked and raced to third on a single by Garcia. Despite a double play, Callahan scored on a single by Lawhon, widening the gap to 5-2.
Aidan Reyes sealed the deal in the seventh with a two-run bomb following a fielding error, locking in the 7-2 final.
On the mound,
Isaac Padilla set the tone for the Night Hawks with five solid innings, giving up just three hits and one earned run while fanning five and walking two, maintaining a tidy WHIP of 1.00.
Ashton O'Quinn came in to slam the door with four scoreless innings, striking out six and scattering four hits while only allowing one free pass.
Garcia was a force at the plate, with a perfect 4-4, scoring twice, and swiping two bases. Lawhon added two hits and two RBIs to his tally. Reyes made his mark with a key home run, driving in two and scoring a run. Padilla's performance on the bump earned him his fifth win of the season.
Up next, the Night Hawks face off against Mobile again on Saturday, March 7, at 1 p.m. ET at Varnedoe Stadium in Thomasville, Georgia.
