Nighthawks' Winning Streak Comes to an End Against Navigators

By Thaddeus Sawyer

After winning four straight games coming into Saturday, the Upper Valley Nighthawks (15-14-1) watched their season-high win streak snap at the hands of the North Shore Navigators (16-14), losing 5-2 on the road.

The loss marks the second-straight at Fraser Field to open the season for the Nighthawks, who are now 1-2 against the Navigators on the season.

“We know it's going to be a long summer, long stretch of games, these things are going to happen,” Nighthawks shortstop Tim Dickinson said. “At the end of the day, you're playing a game that millions of people love to play every day. You just got to appreciate the moment and just go out there and play your balls off.”

The Nighthawks fell behind early after Navigators right fielder Grant Hunter shot a hard grounder to third base with a pair of runners in scoring position in the first inning, giving designated hitter Hudson Ellis time to score from 90 feet away.

The Navigators extended that lead an inning later on a three-run shot over the left field wall off the bat of shortstop Jack Rickheim. It was the Harvard infielder’s first NECBL home run across 65 games played for North Shore, dating back to the 2025 season.

Though starter Nick Tamburro eventually settled in to toss a scoreless third inning for the Nighthawks while working around a pair of hits and an error on a failed pick off attempt, the right-hander finished his day with an uneven line of four earned runs across three frames.

Tamburro’s host roommate, catcher Nick Quagliato, attempted to pick his battery mate up with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third into left center field. That flyout scored outfielder Willie Hurt, who worked a four pitch walk and advanced all the way to third on a throwing error from Rickheim a batter later.

Outside of that unearned run and an RBI groundout from first baseman Jonathan Holt in the sixth, Navigators starter Ismael Borrero largely shut down the Nighthawks lineup through six solid innings of work. 

Earning his first win of the summer, the right-hander struck out three while surrendering just four hits. Borrero primarily relied on his slider to find success.

Borrero had previously pitched against the Nighthawks on June 24, when Upper Valley tagged the former Mercer University pitcher for three runs across 3 2/3 innings in their 8-0 shutout victory.

At the plate, Quagliato notched an RBI for the fifth straight contest while Holt and Dickinson each provided multi-hit showings.

Dickinson also smacked the Nighthawks’ lone extra-base hit of the day, a ground-rule double to lead off the sixth inning. The infielder has now posted two-hit performances in four of his last five contests.

“I've think, in the past, I had a really hard time getting too results oriented,” Dickinson said. “Now, I'm just locked in on the process, locked in on every pitch and just trusting myself.”

Vincent Luther, Cole Egan and Julian Rondon all pitched well out of the bullpen for the Nighthawks. 

Luther and Rondon each pitched a pair of frames. Luther allowed one run on a bases loaded walk from left fielder Lane Allen but also punched out three Navigators. Rondon worked out of his own bases loaded, no outs situation in the eighth without sustaining any damage.

In his team debut, Egan spun a scoreless sixth inning, striking out a pair of Navigators swinging. The lefty said that mixing his pitches in the zone helped him to keep batters off balance.

“It felt great,” Egan said. “I mean, obviously, just coming here and meeting the guys, a great team here. Having a great defense behind you, just trusting them and filling up the zone for them.”

After losing their first away game in their last four trips, the Nighthawks will be back on the road on Monday as they travel back to Massachusetts to face the North Adams SteepleCats (7-22).

Despite the SteepleCats’ league-worst record, three of those wins have come against the Nighthawks.

First pitch at Joe Wolfe Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The contest will stream live on NECBL+.