The National Park College (NPC) Nighthawks softball team (29-21, 20-8) swept its National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 2 series against Carl Albert State College (CASC) Monday, taking a 10-2 victory in game one and outlasting the Vikings, 5-4 win in the finale.
NPC scored in each of its first four innings in the opener, taking the lead and never looking back. Freshman right fielder Sara Camplain (Cabot) scored on an error in the top of the first inning, giving the Nighthawks a 1-0 advantage. Sophomore first baseman Jessica Suire (New Iberia, Louisiana) smacked a line drive RBI single to right field in the top of the second inning, while sophomore catcher Ryanne Lefford (Beebe) padded NPC’s lead with a two-run single in the top of the third inning.
Leading, 4-0, entering the top of the fourth inning, freshman designated player Maci Graves (Whitesboro, Texas) drove in Camplain on an RBI triple. CASC lit up the scoreboard twice in the bottom of the fifth inning, pulling within three runs, 5-2. In the top of the sixth inning, however, NPC rallied for five runs to put the game out of reach. Camplain started the rally with an RBI single, followed by an RBI sacrifice fly from Graves. Later in the inning, Lefford singled in a run, followed by a two-run single from freshman shortstop Jordan Householder (Mansfield, Texas) as the Nighthawks soared to victory.
Sophomore hurler Bailee Cowell (Clarksville) pitched the Nighthawks to victory, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts over six innings. Lefford led the Nighthawks at the plate, finishing two-for-four with three runs batted in.
Following a big first inning, the Nighthawks withstood a late Vikings rally in a game two nail-biter. Graves started the scoring in the opening frame with an RBI sacrifice fly, driving in Camplain. Later in the inning, sophomore center fielder Tayler Southern (Winnsboro, Louisiana) and freshman third baseman Bre Phillips (Conway) both scored on passed balls to give NPC a 3-0 advantage.
The Vikings shrunk the lead in the bottom of the second inning, plating one run. Householder responded in the top of the third inning for NPC, delivering a two-run double. Through tough defense, Carl Albert State College chipped away at the deficit, scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth inning. With the Nighthawks leading, 5-3, entering the bottom of the seventh inning, CASC pulled within one run on a solo home run. After the Vikings put the potential tying run on first base, Cowell recorded a strikeout and a flyout to seal the series sweep.
Sophomore pitcher Gracie Fowler (Texarkana) picked up the win in the circle for NPC, allowing one run on five hits with two strikeouts over four innings of work. Freshman Avery Creech (Logansport, Louisiana) pitched one inning of relief, while Cowell recorded the final six outs for the save. With the save, Cowell passes former Nighthawk Kacey Solida (Texarkana) for the most saves in program history.
NPC travels to No. 19 University of Arkansas Rich Mountain today for an NJCAA Region 2 doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
For more information on schedules, rosters and more, visit Nighthawk Athletics online. Fans can also follow the Nighthawks all season on social media.
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