Hot Hawks: June 22-28
Take a look at the Nighthawks' top performers from the past week.
By Thaddeus Sawyer
The Nighthawks cruised early in a rain-shortened week, winning a pair of contests in dominant fashion before slowing down over the weekend and dropping two at home.
Even with the disappointing finish, several Nighthawks turned in standout performances, led by a power surge from the team's top offensive contributor.
As the weather heats up and the dog days of summer draw closer, here’s who was hot for the Hawks last week.
Love played just three games last week but made them count. Following his first day off of the summer on Thursday, the third baseman returned on Friday against the North Adams SteepleCats seemingly well rested.
The Eastern Illinois junior muscled his first home run of the summer over the left field wall in the fifth inning, part of a two-hit performance in a close 6-5 loss.
Love drove in six runs across the week, half of his team-leading 12 RBIs on the season.
Missing three contests after sustaining a minor injury against the North Shore Navigators on June 18, Boardman was back better than ever last week.
In 16 at-bats, the catcher notched five hits, including a pair of knocks to go along with an RBI against the Ocean State Waves on Thursday.
Boardman also nabbed two base runners attempting to swipe a bag against the Waves, finishing the week with an above-average caught-stealing rate of 33%.
After a slow start to the summer that saw Jones wait 28 plate appearances to notch his first base hit, the right fielder began to show signs of life when he lofted a fly ball into left field for a single against the Sanford Mainers on June 19.
Fast forward to this past week, and Jones has fully hit his stride. Posting multi-hit performances against both the Waves and SteepleCats, the San Diego State junior has seemingly established himself as a regular in right field.
Jones also notched his first extra-base hit of the summer against the SteepleCats, an RBI double in the fifth.
Though the majority of Magoulick’s production came in just one performance, it is hard to complain when that showing included a go-ahead three-run homer against the Waves.
Prior to hugging the right field foul pole with his long ball, Magoulick also singled and doubled, finishing the day with a team-leading four RBIs.
The first baseman also accounted for one of the Nighthawks’ four hits in Sunday’s shutout loss against the Mountaineers.
It’s only fitting that a pair of pitchers who each went two scoreless innings in the Nighthawks shutout over the North Shore Navigators on Wednesday share the final spot on this week’s list.
Luther was the second arm out of the bullpen for the Nighthawks and picked up right where Anthony Bubba and Trey Sejnoha left off after the duo combined for four one-hit innings to start the contest.
The left-handed faced the minimum six batters and struck out three across his two frames. One of those punchouts came against Binghamton University teammate Grant Hunter.
Luther has yet to allow a run in 8 1/3 innings this summer.
Joey Young followed up Luther’s showing with two scoreless innings of his own, striking out four and earning his third victory of the summer.
That performance was good enough to earn the Xavier University right-hander the lineup card from manager Chase Allen.