Thomas Athletics
THOMASVILLE, Ga. – On Thursday afternoon, Thomas University (11-7) welcomed conference opponent Middle Georgia University (8-7) to their home turf. The Night Hawks entered the match-up fresh off a series loss to Stillman College, while the Knights carried momentum from their recent victories against #4 William Carey University, winning two out of three games.
Game One
In the top of the first inning, Middle Georgia struck first with a bases-loaded walk, giving the Knights an early 1-0 lead. However, the Night Hawks wasted no time responding. In the bottom of the second inning, Michael Sowers delivered an RBI single to drive in a run, and Easton Willis reached first base on a fielder’s choice, bringing in another run to give TU their first lead of the game 2-1.
Middle Georgia managed to tie the game at two in the top of the third inning with a home run to centerfield. However, the Night Hawks offense remained relentless. In the bottom of the third, Bryce Bitting crushed a 2-RBI home run over the right field wall, reclaiming the lead for TU at 4-2. The momentum continued in the fourth inning as the Night Hawks added four more runs. Sowers kicked off the scoring with an RBI double, followed by Willis with an RBI single, Brayden Lawhon with another RBI single, and Turner Maddox with an RBI sacrifice fly, extending the TU lead to 8-2. The onslaught continued in the fifth inning as Gabe Tafelski smashed a 3-RBI home run over the right field wall, further extending the Night Hawks lead to 11-2.
The Knights made a comeback bid in the top of the sixth, narrowing the TU lead to 11-7, by scoring five runs. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Middle Georgia added two more runs, closing the gap further. However, the Night Hawks managed to secure the final out, clinching the victory with a score of 11-9.
In the first game, AJ Wydra secured the win for the Night Hawks after pitching 5.1 innings, allowing 7 runs (6 earned), issuing four walks, and recording four strikeouts. Thomas University demonstrated their offensive strength with eleven hits, led by standout performances from Gabe Tafelski, who delivered a crucial 3-RBI home run, Bryce Bitting, who contributed with a pivotal 2-RBI homer, and Mike Sowers, who provided key two RBI hits.
Game Two
In the second game of the doubleheader, Middle Georgia quickly took a commanding 4-0 lead by the top of the fourth inning. The Night Hawks bats came alive in the bottom of the fourth inning, slicing the four run deficit in half to 4-2 behind a crucial 2-RBI double down the left field line from Matt Williams, bringing home Cameron Tyson from second base and Max Pickett from first.
Thomas University surged ahead for the first time in the game during the bottom of the sixth inning, tallying four runs. The Night Hawks ignited the rally with consecutive singles from Pickett and Williams. Hunter Kern then advanced the runners ninety feet with a dribbling ground ball between the third baseman and the pitcher, leaving only one out. Riley Borgert capitalized with a scorching line drive into center field, scoring both runners to tie the game at 4-4. Keeping the momentum going, Kason Buie ripped a double down the right field line, bringing Riley Borgert home from first base to give the Night Hawks a 5-4 lead. Turner Maddox followed suit with a single to center field, extending TU’s lead to two runs at 6-4.
Middle Georgia State displayed relentless determination as they entered the bottom of the ninth inning, searching for two runs to tie the game. Brad Peacock secured the first out of the inning with a ground out to second base. However, the Knights shortstop kept their hopes alive with a single to left field, bringing the tying run to the plate. A passed ball allowed the baserunner to advance to second base, while a sacrifice fly maneuvered them to third base with two outs. The Knights managed to plate a run after a pinch-hit RBI double brought the runner in from third base, narrowing the gap to just one. Then, the catcher delivered a three ball, two strike clutch line drive single to left-center field, scoring the tying run from second base, leveling the game at 6-6. Despite their efforts, the Night Hawks could not bring home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning, forcing the game into extra innings.
In the top of the tenth inning, Peacock continued his dominance, conceding only one hit and securing the three crucial outs to bring the Night Hawks bats back to the plate. Tyson led off the bottom of the tenth for the Night Hawks, but the first pitch struck him squarely in the back, advancing him to first base. Pickert then executed a perfect bunt to the right side of the field, advancing Tyson into scoring position with just one out. With a runner now on second base, Matthew Williams stepped up to the plate, aiming to end the game with a walk-off hit. Williams made contact with the second pitch of the at-bat, sending the ball soaring deep into right field. As the wind lifted the ball towards the right field warning track, the right fielder lost sight of the ball in the stadium lights, allowing the ball bounced off the right field wall. The runner, Tyson, initially held between first and second base in anticipation of a possible catch, but as the ball hit the ground, Tyson swiftly advanced to third base and rounded towards home plate. Although the cutoff man delivered a perfect throw to the catcher, they failed to field the ball cleanly, allowing Tyson to slide safely across home plate and secure the game-winning run, resulting in a thrilling 7-6 victory for the Night Hawks.
RHP Brad Peacock secured the win for Thomas University with a solid performance, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing only two hits, while keeping the opposition scoreless with no strikeouts. The Night Hawks showcased their offensive skills once again, tallying eleven hits. Notable performances came from Matthew Williams, who contributed with a stellar three-hit performance including a single and two RBI doubles. Additionally, Cameron Tyson stood out with three singles, ultimately scoring the game-winning run for the Night Hawks.
With the series already in hand, the Night Hawks will have to wait until Sunday to go for the series sweep, with the final game being moved, due to heavy rain in the forecast for Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s game will begin at 1 p.m. For updated game times, live stats, and broadcast information, follow Thomas Baseball at https://tunighthawks.com/sports/baseball. For complete coverage of Night Hawks Athletics, please visit www.tunighthawks.com to stay updated with the latest news, scores, game previews and recaps. Follow the Night Hawks on social media at @TU_Night_Hawks (Twitter), @tunighthawks (Instagram), and @thomasuniversityathletics (Facebook).