The National Park College (NPC) Nighthawks baseball team dropped its NJCAA Region II home and road series with University of Arkansas Rich Mountain (UARM) over the weekend, dropping 16-11 and 8-6 decisions in Hot Springs on Friday and splitting Saturday’s road series with a 1-0 win and a 7-2 loss.
On Friday’s series opener, UARM got the scoring started early with a three-run first inning, forcing NPC to play catch-up throughout the contest. Freshmen Tristen Jamison (Nashville) and Nathan Kirkpatrick (Sheridan) hit solo home runs in the bottom of the first inning to pull within one run, but the Bucks answered back with multi-run innings in each of the second, third and fourth innings to pad the lead. Trailing, 12-5, in the fifth inning, NPC enjoyed a grand slam from freshman Jesus Minjarez (Hot Springs) to pull within three runs but could not keep pace to complete the comeback in the 16-11 loss.
Sophomore starting pitcher Robby Caro (Georgetown, TX) allowed six runs on three hits over one and two-thirds innings, striking out two. Freshmen Jackson Pope (Sherwood) and Brayden Solida (Texarkana, TX) and sophomore Mason Sellers (Texarkana) each contributed in relief in the loss. NPC tallied 11 hits in the game, including five home runs, with Minjarez finishing 3-for-4 at the plate. Jamison and freshman Demias Jimerson (Malvern) each had multiple hits in the loss.
In game two, NPC jumped out front early, led by a two-run first-inning home run from Jamison. UARM plated a run in the second inning to cut the lead in half, 2-1, before NPC added a third-inning insurance run on a solo home run from sophomore Cole Rodriguez (Cypress, TX). In the fifth inning, NPC added solo home runs from Jamison and Jimerson and an additional run from a balk to pad its lead. With NPC leading, 6-2, through six innings, UARM mounted a late comeback, scoring five runs in the eighth inning to upset the Nighthawks in their final home game of the season, 8-6.
Freshman Kenley Anderson (Horatio) allowed four runs on seven hits through seven and one-third innings, striking out nine. NPC notched 11 hits in the game, including four home runs, with Jimerson finishing 3-for-5 at the plate. Jamison, Rodriguez and freshman Jack Hackney (DeWitt) each racked up multiple hits in the loss.
On Saturday, NPC turned the tables behind a strong pitching performance from freshman Gage Golden (Hot Springs). Golden pitched a seven-inning shutout while allowing seven hits and striking out three. A third-inning RBI double from Jimerson made the difference, plating the lone run in NPC’s 1-0 victory. Hackney finished 2-for-3 at the plate in the win.
In the series finale, Jimerson got the scoring started early with a first-inning solo home run, but NPC’s bats quickly cooled. UARM rallied back, scoring seven unanswered runs through eight innings to secure the series win and end NPC’s regular season.
Freshman Jacob Squires (Bigelow) allowed three runs on five hits through three innings, striking out two. NPC managed five hits in the contest, including one home run, in the loss.
NPC competes in the NJCAA Region II Tournament, held in Enid, OK on May 13-16.
For more information on schedules, rosters and more, visit Nighthawks Baseball online. Fans can also follow the Nighthawks all season on social media.
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