The National Park College (NPC) Nighthawk baseball team split its series with State
Fair Community College (Sedalia, MO) Sunday, winning the first game with a 3-2 walk-off,
while dropping the nightcap, 7-6.
Trailing, 2-0, in the fourth inning of the first game, an RBI double from freshman
designated hitter Nathan Kirkpatrick (Sheridan) knocked in Mason Sellers (Genoa Central)
for the first Nighthawk run of the game.
NPC (4-4) evened the game in the sixth inning on a solo home run from freshman third
baseman Jesus Minjarez (Hot Springs Lakeside)—his fourth of the year.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, a defensive error by the
Roadrunners plated freshman Panama Mendez (Miami Beach, FL) as the winning run for
NPC.
Kirkpatrick batted 2-3 for the day with two doubles and an RBI. Minjarez finished
1-4 with a solo home run, while freshman pitcher Kenley Anderson (Horatio) picked
up the win with one strikeout in two innings of work.
Down, 2-0, in the third inning of the second game, NPC plated runs in the third and
fourth innings to tie the game. In the fifth inning, however, a three-run Roadrunner
home run padded the lead for State Fair Community College. The Nighthawks answered
back with their third run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the
deficit to 5-3.
After the Roadrunners added two more runs in the sixth inning, freshman center fielder
Demias Jimerson (Malvern) delivered his first home run of the season—a three-run blast
to center field—to bring the game within one run, 7-6, in the sixth inning. In the
seventh inning, however, tight Roadrunner pitching retired the side, ending the comeback.
Jimerson went 2-4 for the game with a home run and 3 RBI. Mendez and freshman Kade
Stuart (Lonoke) batted .500 for the game, while Sellers finished 1-4 with a home run and two RBI. Freshman pitcher Bradley Bearden (Ashdown) picked up the loss
with six earned runs in 5.67 innings of work.
Nighthawks baseball plays host to Crowley’s Ridge College Tuesday, Feb. 18 for a
double header beginning at 12 p.m. Nighthawks softball plays host to Eastern Oklahoma
State College Wednesday, Feb. 19 for a double header beginning at 3:00 p.m.
For more information on schedules, rosters and more, visit Nighthawks Baseball and Nighthawks Softball online. Fans can also follow the Nighthawks all season on social media. Fans can
also follow the Nighthawks all season on social media.
Facebook: Nighthawk Athletics
Twitter: @NPC_Nighthawks
Instagram: nighthawkathletics
Snapchat: npnighthawks
