23 Apr 2025 Cowell makes history in Nighthawk sweep

HARRISON — The National Park College (NPC) Nighthawks softball team (26-18, 17-5) swept its National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 2 series against North Arkansas College Tuesday, taking a 2-1 extra-inning victory in game one and earning a 6-3 win in the finale.

Game one was a defensive chess match, with sophomore pitcher Bailee Cowell (Clarksville) shining brightly to pick up her 13th win of the year. The righthander allowed one run on three hits with a record-setting 15 strikeout performance in an eight-inning complete game victory. Freshman designated player Maci Graves (Whitesboro, Texas) opened the scoring for NPC in the top of the first inning, smacking an RBI single to center field for a 1-0 lead. 

Fueled by strong defense, North Arkansas College managed to hold NPC scoreless throughout most of the contest. The Pioneers tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI single, putting pressure on Cowell and the Nighthawks. Unable to plate the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning, NPC held the Pioneers off the bases in the bottom of the frame to force extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Nighthawks regained the lead, 2-1, on an RBI sacrifice fly from freshman third baseman Bre Phillips (Conway). In the bottom of the inning, Cowell rewrote the history books, striking out her 14th and 15th batters of the ballgame to break NPC’s single-game strikeout record, previously held by former Nighthawk Jadyn Hart (Magazine).

Graves led NPC at the plate, driving in one run while finishing two-for-four in the win.

In game two, NPC endured a late North Arkansas College rally to take the series sweep. The Nighthawks started the scoring in the top of the second inning on an RBI double from freshman shortstop Jordan Householder (Mansfield, Texas). NPC lit up the scoreboard again in the top of the third inning, with Graves driving in a run on an RBI sacrifice groundout.

Leading, 2-0, entering the top of the fourth inning, the Nighthawks padded their lead with four additional runs scored. Freshman right fielder Rachel Lawyer (Rockwall, Texas) drove in a run on an infield single, followed by a two-run base hit from freshman second baseman Alexis Ortego (Eunice, Louisiana). Later in the inning, sophomore center fielder Tayler Southern (Winnsboro, Louisiana) brought in a run on an RBI line drive to right field, plating NPC’s sixth run of the contest.

With their back against the wall in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Pioneers rallied for three runs, cutting the deficit in half. Nighthawk sophomore pitcher Gracie Fowler (Texarkana) struck out the last two batters of the ballgame, however, ending the rally and securing the series sweep.

Fowler got the start in the circle for NPC, allowing three runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts in the complete game victory. Phillips led the Nighthawks at the plate, finishing three-for-four with one run scored. Ortego added two hits in three at-bats, driving in two runs and scoring once.

NPC plays host to No. 2 Murray State College Thursday, April 24, for an NJCAA Region 2 doubleheader at Majestic Park beginning at 9 a.m. The games will be streamed live on the Nighthawk Network.