05 Apr 2023 Nighthawks finish strong against Pioneers

HOT SPRINGS — The National Park College (NPC) Nighthawk baseball team (11-21) took one of four games in its NJCAA Region II series against Western Oklahoma State College over the weekend, dropping 12-4 and 10-4 decisions Saturday and avenging a 7-2 loss with a 5-3 victory Sunday.

Held to four runs on six hits, NPC struggled to match the Pioneers, offensively, in the series opener. Trailing, 3-0, entering the bottom of the third inning, the Nighthawks got on the board on a solo home run from sophomore third baseman Jesus Minjarez (Chihuahua, Mexico). NPC added another run in the fourth on an RBI sacrifice fly from freshman right fielder Pedro Martinez (Cleburne, Texas), to cut the lead in half, 4-2. 

A four-run fifth inning proved to be enough for Western Oklahoma State College to cruise to victory. NPC added an RBI sacrifice fly from freshman center fielder Jimbo Batchelor (Senoia, Georgia) in the sixth inning and a leadoff solo home run from freshman first baseman Luke Hindman (Little Rock) in the seventh inning but could not turn the tide in defeat. 

Sophomore pitcher Myles Anderson (Houston, Texas) allowed three runs on four hits with one strikeout over two and one-third innings. Hindman and sophomore designated hitter Daeton Bassett (Fountain Lake) led NPC at the plate, finishing with two hits apiece in the loss. 

A one-run ballgame got away from the Nighthawks in game two, with the Pioneers padding a 3-2 lead with four runs in the fourth inning. After Western Oklahoma State College took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, NPC responded with RBI doubles from Bassett and freshman shortstop Bryson Sellier (Houston, Texas) to pull within one run, 3-2, in the bottom of the first. After the Pioneers’ big fourth inning, however, NPC struggled to get runs across until the seventh inning, when sophomore designated hitter Cameron Tyson (Cullen, Louisiana) added an RBI double, followed by an RBI single from Bassett to cut the deficit to 7-4. A three-run Pioneer ninth inning spoiled NPC’s chances at a rally, resulting in the 10-4 defeat.

Sophomore pitcher Eli Hutcherson (Cabot) got the start for NPC, allowing seven runs on seven hits over three and one third innings, striking out two. Freshman reliever Isaac House (Mountain Home) threw five and two-thirds innings in relief out of the bullpen. Bassett led the Nighthawks at the plate, finishing three-for-five in the loss. 

NPC dropped a heartbreaker in Sunday’s opener, with the Pioneers breaking a two-two tie in the ninth inning with five runs across. NPC grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Tyson. After Western Oklahoma State College evened the score in the fifth inning, the Nighthawks regained the lead in the bottom of the frame as Hindman scored on a balk. The Pioneers tied the game at two in the sixth inning, which held until the deciding five-run ninth inning. 

Sophomore hurler Jaden Lewis (Tyler, Texas) got the start for NPC, allowing two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts over five and two-thirds innings. Sophomore reliever Jeb Brown (Rogers) took the loss in relief, allowing four runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Hindman, Sellier, Martinez, freshman center fielder Hunter Guill (Bentonville) and sophomore left fielder Evan Shoffit (Fayetteville) each managed one hit for NPC in the loss.

The Nighthawks bounced back in the series finale. Shoffit started the scoring with an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning. In the second inning, Sellier knocked a three-run homer, followed by an RBI single from Bassett to pad the lead for good. The Pioneers added three runs across the fourth and fifth innings, but could not complete the comeback. 

Sophomore pitcher Josh Beezley (Sydney, Australia) got the complete game win for NPC, allowing three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in seven innings. Bassett led NPC at the plate with two hits in three at bats. 

NPC continues NJCAA Region II play this weekend with a four-game series against Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa at Majestic Park. The Nighthawks and Mavericks play double headers Friday, April 7, and Saturday, April 8, beginning at 1 p.m. Friday’s games will be streamed live on the Nighthawk Network.