NAMPA, Idaho – Coming into the tournament as the top seed and riding high after a strong regular season, NNU had high expectations, but struggled in their match-up against four-seed Point Loma with a 20-6 loss on Thursday night.
Point Loma exploded out of the gate with five runs in the top of the first, capitalizing on multiple hits, two hit by pitches, and a fielding error. The momentum didn't stop there. The Sea Lions piled on another five runs in the second, highlighted by a three-run homer from Noah Meffert, and then added four more in the third to take a commanding 14–0 lead before NNU could find any rhythm at the plate.
The Nighthawks got on the board in the fourth inning thanks to a solo home run from Bryan Rojas and a two-run shot from Adrian Arechiga, cutting the deficit slightly to 14–3. Rojas would homer again in the sixth, and the Nighthawks showed late life with a run in both the seventh and ninth, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.
With the loss, NNU moves to a must-win game on Friday and will face Montana State Billings in game three of the regional tomorrow. MSUB defeated Point Loma earlier in the day, setting up a high-stakes showdown between two GNAC rivals.
First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Vail Field as the Nighthawks look to bounce back and keep their season alive.
