Nighthawks Cruise Past Gulls for First Win of 2026

By Thaddeus Sawyer

In a night for Nighthawks Field Manager Chase Allen that began with an ovation for the former Newport Gulls pitcher, the Nighthawks exploded for six runs across the first two innings to make sure their manager’s homecoming would end with his first managerial win, a 7-1 victory over the Gulls.

“I think this group makes it easy,” Allen said. “Obviously, I’ve never done this before, but the guys are just playing the game the right way. They're playing ball. 
They're looking for different ways to kind of put their twists on it. I’m just proud of them for doing that.”

With Cardines Field being over a century old, it’s hard not to notice the quirks and charm that come with that kind of history.

The Nighthawks took full advantage of those quirks in the first inning when designated hitter Cameron Boardman flew a hard liner two-thirds of the way up the left side of the triangle in right center. 

The drive brought in both catcher Nick Quagliato and St. Joseph’s University outfielder Alex Kelsey, who reached via a single and hit by pitch, respectively. Bellarmine University second baseman Jake Bell also tried for home hoping to make it a bases-clearing double but was cut down at home by Gulls right fielder Cole Johnson, just steps behind Kelsey.

Boardman is picking up right where he left off last summer. After slashing .292/.382/.369 with the Nighthawks last summer, the University of Hartford catcher already has three hits across two contests in 2026.

Anthony Greco, too, benefited from the strange dimensions, clearing the Green Monster-esque 28-foot tall wall in right field less than 300 feet from home plate for the Nighthawks’ first home run of the season. San Diego State outfielder Levi Jones also scored after walking on four pitches in the at-bat before.

The blast was Greco’s second as a Nighthawk, dating back to last season. Greco called hitting a home run one of the best feelings as a position player.

“It felt good off the bat, so I kind of figured it was going to go,” Greco said. “I kind of wish it went over the net. That would’ve been cooler instead of bouncing off, but a home run's a home run, so I'll take it.”

That was just the start of a four-run inning for the Nighthawks, as Quagliato and Kelsey again reached in back-to-back at-bats to put ducks on the pond for Eastern Illinois University infielder James Love. After placing a perfect sacrifice bunt down the third base line in his first at-bat, Love smacked a single in front of center fielder Mason Ligenza to plate Quagliato and chase Gulls starter Will Allen from the game.

After not allowing more than three earned runs in any of his 11 appearances for the University of South Florida this spring, Allen was eventually charged with six earned runs after Kelsey scored his second run of the day on a balk by Bryce Koch during the right-hander’s first batter of relief work.

The Gulls would get one back on the bottom of the inning after first baseman Devan Zirwas flared a dying flyball behind third base that rolled towards the Upper Valley bullpen for a double. Zirwas methodically worked his way around the bases, advancing to third and touching home a pair of ground outs. Johnson picked up the RBI.

That was all the damage the Gulls could muster against Nighthawks starter Trey Sejnoha. The Dartmouth College right-hander struck out six batters through four innings.

In his final inning of work, Sejnoha walked the bases loaded before doing his best Houdini impression, escaping the jam unscathed with a pair of punchouts.

“You can tell he's a competitor,” Allen said. “He's got that competitive fire to him. I mean, I knew from day one. A few days before getting up here, he's already texting me, kind of asking some things, getting ready to get on the bump. You could tell he was eager. Just looking at his stuff, he's got good stuff. So, when you put that with the mind, and the mind’s powerful, things like that happen.”

Relievers Joey Young, Anthony Bubba and Chase Chamberlain all made scoreless Nighthawks debuts, while third-year Nighthawk Brendan Walker also tossed a shutout inning.

The Nighthawks picked up one last insurance run in the fifth, courtesy of a double from Saint Joseph’s University shortstop Tim Dickinson. Though the throw home arrived ahead of Bellarmine University left fielder Cole Huett, Gulls catcher Adam Broski couldn’t hang on to the throw from Ryan Novak as Huett slid into home safely.

For the second straight day, Love led the Nighthawks in hits as the only Upper Valley hitter to post a multi-hit performance. Quagliato reached base three times, while he, Love and Boardman stole a base.

The next time the Nighthawks take the field, it will be in the Upper Valley, as the team is set to return to the Maxfield Sports Complex on Sunday for its 2026 home opener. First pitch at the Max is scheduled for 5 p.m. Nighthawks fans can stream the game live on ESPN+.