The National Park College (NPC) Nighthawk baseball team (18-31, 12-20) defeated Northern Oklahoma College-Enid (NOC-Enid) in a four-game NJCAA Region II series over the weekend, splitting Saturday’s games with an 8-2 win and a 13-11 loss, and picking up 10-2 and 11-0 victories Sunday.
Hot hitting paced NPC to victory in the series opener, with sophomore designated hitter Cameron Tyson (Cullen, Louisiana) starting the scoring with a three-run home run in the first inning. The Nighthawks added to their lead in the third inning, with sophomore right fielder Daeton Bassett (Fountain Lake) smacking an RBI double followed by an RBI single from sophomore third baseman D’Angelo Hinojosa (Houston, Texas). After the Jets scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, NPC responded with its final three runs of the game in the fifth inning, with sophomore second baseman John Satterfield (Little Rock) hitting an RBI single, followed by a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and balk.
Sophomore pitcher Jaden Lewis (Tyler, Texas) earned the complete-game win for NPC, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out four. Hinojosa led NPC at the plate, finishing four-for-four in the win.
A seven-run third inning fueled the Jets in game two, with NPC unable to overcome the deficit. The Nighthawks gained the lead, briefly, in the top of the third inning, with Hinojosa driving in a run on a line drive. After allowing seven runs in the bottom of the frame, the Nighthawks answered NOC-Enid’s big inning with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman shortstop Bryson Sellier (Houston, Texas) hit an RBI single, followed by a two-run home run from Tyson and a solo home run from Bassett. Trailing, 12-5, after six innings, NPC added a run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning. In the eighth inning, NPC plated five runs, starting with a sacrifice groundout from freshman first baseman Tom Butler (Sydney, Australia), followed by two more home runs—a three-run shot from freshman center fielder Hunter Guill (Bentonville) and a solo shot from sophomore left fielder Evan Shoffit (Fayetteville). Despite the rally, however, NPC was unable to turn the tide as the series evened.
Sophomore pitcher Myles Anderson (Houston, Texas) lasted two and two-thirds inning, allowing six runs on four hits while striking out three. Guill led the Nighthawks at the plate, finishing four-for-five in the loss.
NPC took command of the series Sunday, taking a nine-run lead and never looking back in game three. Tyson and Bassett started the scoring in the first inning, hitting a three-run home run and a solo home run, respectively, to take the lead. The Nighthawks padded their lead with three runs in the second inning, with Sellier hitting an RBI single, followed by Tyson driving in two runs on a double. National Park College added insurance runs over the next two innings, with an RBI single from Shoffit in the third inning, followed by a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning. Bassett capped the scoring in the seventh inning with an RBI double.
Sophomore pitcher Josh Beezley (Sydney, Australia) earned the win for National Park College. The lefty allowed two runs on five hits over seven innings with one strikeout. Tyson, Sellier and Bassett each managed three hits to lead NPC in hitting.
In the series finale, NPC soared behind a gem on the mound from sophomore pitcher Eli Hutcherson (Cabot). Allowing no runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts in seven innings, Hutcherson frustrated Jets’ hitters, while NPC took charge with 13 hits. Satterfield put the Nighthawks on the board in the second inning with a two-run home run. NPC added its third run of the game in the third inning, with Sellier driving in one on a sacrifice fly. National Park College continued its scoring in the fourth inning with Shoffit driving in two runs on a line drive double to center field.
The hits kept coming for NPC as the Nighthawks surged for five runs in the fifth inning. Hinojosa doubled in a run, followed by an RBI single from Guill and a three-run double from Shoffit. Satterfield struck again in the top of the sixth inning, driving in a run on a base hit. Satterfield and Shoffit led NPC at the plate, finishing with three hits apiece in the win.
NPC celebrates Sophomore Day with an NJCAA Region II double header against University of Arkansas-Rich Mountain Thursday, May 4, beginning at 4 p.m. with the Sophomore Day ceremony taking place between games. 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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