Nighthawks Explode for Seven Runs in Late Innings to Shock Ocean State

By Thaddeus Sawyer

On his 21st birthday, it was Anthony Greco who gave his teammates a present.

Coming off the bench in the seventh inning with the Nighthawks facing a 5-3 deficit, the left fielder smacked a pinch-hit leadoff home run to left field to pull Upper Valley within one.

That long ball sparked a six-run inning that gave the Nighthawks (9-7-1) their second come-from-behind win in a week against the Ocean State Waves (6-11), storming back for a 10-6 victory to sweep the season series.

Greco called hitting a home run the best feeling in baseball, echoing the sentiment he shared after hitting his first of the summer all the way back in Game 2 against the Newport Gulls.

“It was a pretty good birthday gift, coming back from a pretty big deficit early on,” Greco said.

Greco said that he pinch-hit often in the first half of the season for William & Mary this past spring and that the solo shot was his third pinch-hit home run of the year.

Greco’s shot wasn’t the only home run of the inning, as Charley Magoulick also hugged the foul pole with a three-run homer of his own. The pair of round trippers marked the first time the Nighthawks have hit multiple home runs in a single game this season.

Mixed in was a run-scoring error after a Frank Kelly groundball skipped over fellow shortstop Blaize Ward. Kelly advanced to second on a poor relay throw and later scored on a wild pitch.

“It's hard coming back, staying in the game, but I have trust and confidence in all my teammates,” Greco said.

Despite the late surge, the Nighthawks didn’t score until the fifth inning. They had to single their way back into the game after surrendering five runs in the first three innings, with Magoulick, Cam Boardman and Alejandro Puig all contributing a run-scoring knock.

Nighthawks starter Mateo Wells struggled for the first time all season, giving up three runs in two innings of work while battling command issues.

After a hitless first inning, which extended the Nighthawks’ streak to nine straight hitless innings following Thursday’s one-hitter against the North Shore Navigators, Wells loaded the bases with no outs on a single and a pair of hit batters.

The Waves notched their first run of the day on a 3-2 walk from second baseman Jack LaRose before catcher Kalen Applefield brought in two more with a single just past the outstretched glove of Magoulick.

Ocean State scored another two runs in the third against reliever Tyler Hemmesch, who walked five of the thirteen batters he faced in two innings of work. LaRose took a hit by pitch with the bases loaded, while left fielder Adonis Medina worked a walk.

That would be it until the ninth inning, when designated hitter Gabriel Milano deposited a two-out double into center field to score a run and make the final score a little less lopsided.

The Nighthawks kept tacking on after their seventh-inning outburst, with Boardman picking up an RBI on a single into center.

Out of the bullpen for the Nighthawks, Artie Green provided his best outing of the summer thus far, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out a pair. The right-hander earned his first win of the season.

Magoulick led the Nighthawks in three hits and four RBIs. Boardman and right fielder Levi Jones also posted multi-hit performances.

Jones’ two-hit day came after it took him 28 plate appearances to find his first hit of the summer. The outfielder said that he’s beginning to settle back into his approach after missing all of this spring with San Diego State due to injury.

“I think my first 20 at-bats, I was just kind of feeling for things, just trying to feel out my body and my timing versus just trusting it,” Jones said. " … I've hit a lot of balls right at people all summer, so I was just like, 'I feel good. I'm just going to stick with it.' I'm just trying to take good swings at good pitches, that's really it.”

Kelly swiped a bag to remain within one stolen base of the league lead.

The Nighthawks will be back at home Friday night to host the North Adams SteepleCats. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will stream live on ESPN+.