The National Park College (NPC) Nighthawk baseball team (6-10) fell in the Babe Howard Classic over the weekend, dropping 3-2 and 14-1 decisions to Lincoln Trail College and Kaskaskia College, respectively, Friday and losing to Iowa Central Community College, 7-3, and No. 8 Wabash Valley College, 11-1, Saturday.
After allowing three runs to the Statesmen in the bottom of the first inning in the opener, NPC played from behind for the remainder of the contest. The Nighthawks got on the board with a fifth-inning RBI single from freshman center fielder Pedro Martinez (Cleburne, Texas) and a sixth-inning RBI groundout from sophomore second baseman D’Angelo Hinojosa (Houston, Texas), but were unable to complete the comeback.
Sophomore pitcher Eli Hutcherson (Cabot) allowed three runs on six hits with six strikeouts over six innings in the loss.
A couple of six-run innings doomed spelled doom for NPC against Kaskaskia College Friday, with the Blue Devils striking big in the first and fifth innings. NPC plated its only run of the game in the bottom of the first inning on a solo home run from sophomore left fielder Evan Shoffit (Fayetteville) and managed just three hits in the loss.
Freshman pitcher Ian Holm (Lafayette, Louisiana) got the start for NPC, allowing four runs on three hits in one-third of an inning.
A late rally spoiled NPC’s chances against Iowa Central Community College Saturday, with the Tritons exploding for seven runs in the seventh inning to secure victory. NPC got on the board in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI groundout by Hinojosa, scoring Shoffit. Behind solid pitching, NPC appeared primed to take the game against Iowa Central Community College, taking a 1-0 lead into the final inning. After the Tritons’ rally in the seventh, NPC scored twice in the bottom of the inning, with Hinojosa scoring on a passed ball and an RBI groundout sophomore pinch hitter John Satterfield (Little Rock), but could not overcome the deficit in the loss.
Sophomore pitcher Myles Anderson (Houston, Texas) was stellar in the start for NPC, notching three strikeouts over two perfect innings of work. Sophomore reliever Josh Beezley (Sydney, Australia) was saddled with the loss in the seventh, allowing six runs on one hit over two-thirds of an inning.
Trailing, 8-0, after two innings, NPC struggled to put runs on the board and had a tough time, defensively, containing the eighth-ranked Warriors in Saturday’s finale. Satterfield lit up the scoreboard for NPC with an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide in defeat.
Sophomore pitcher Jaden Lewis (Tyler, Texas) took the loss for NPC, allowing seven runs on eight hits with two strikeouts over one and one-third innings.
The Nighthawks play host to North Arkansas College in a double header at Majestic Park Wednesday, March 1, beginning at noon. The games will be streamed live on the Nighthawk Network.
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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