The Hawks baseball team lost to the Delta College Mustangs on Thursday with a final score of 22-5. 

In the top of the first inning, the Hawks surrendered five runs, but with some good at bats and a two-run homer by sophomore center fielder Brett Graber in the bottom of the third, the Hawks went into the top of the fourth trailing 5-4.

Subsequently, the Mustangs would go on to score in every inning after, putting up a total of 17 runs over the final six innings of the game.

Head Coach Don Mico said that the Mustangs’ strong pitching along with having to face quality pitching throughout The Big 8 conference can lead to rough games like Thursday’s matchup.

“They have good pitching, that’s one thing that Delta has, you know a lot of Big 8 teams have a lot of good pitching,” said Mico. “Big 8 is a rough league, everyone beats each other up so we just never know what’s going to happen game after game.”

Sophomore pitcher Owen Hunt started the game for the Hawks after allowing six walks and four runs in his previous start. In Thursday’s outing, the Mustangs early offensive prowess at the plate led to Hunt surrendering 10 runs in four innings.

Hunt said that to get out of his funk, he is looking to continue going hard at his practice routine and do whatever he can do to help the team.

“Honestly just workout, practice, get better, trying to help the team, that’s about it,” said Hunt.

Although the Hawks dropped the second game of this series, they were able to come out on top in their first game against the Mustangs on Tuesday with a final score of 7-6. 

In their series finale against the Mustangs at San Joaquin Delta College on Friday, the Hawks will try and recover from today’s loss and win the series.

Graber, who crushed a two-run homer into left center field in the bottom of the third inning, said that the team will do its best to move on from this loss with the hope of winning the series finale on Friday.

“I think honestly just to flush this game, not completely erase it from our minds but trying to bounce back,” said Graber. “Not let this loss demoralize us and go out there and play the game that we played Tuesday.”

Mico also said that he hopes to see his team come out with the victory in their series finale against the Mustangs.

“Hopefully we can pitch and play defense. Manufacturing some runs. That’s the way this team is built,” said Mico.