Hilbert Walks Off Baseball, 9-8

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Rivier baseball team mounted a late comeback but fell to Hilbert by way of the walk-off in a non-conference Friday afternoon matchup at Pelicans Stadium as part of The Ripken Experience, 9-8.

Rivier dropped to 2-4 with the loss while the Hawks improved to 8-2.

Hilbert got off to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Jack Duffek singled to score Konnor Hauck.

The Hawks would make it a 3-0 ballgame in the bottom of the fourth as a walk with the bases loaded and a sacrifice fly on back-to-back at-bats each scored a run for the designated home squad.

In the top of the sixth, Rivier would cut its deficit to one as JD Normand blasted a liner over the wall in left for a two-run shot.

Hilbert scored three runs of its own in the bottom half on consecutive base knocks.

The Hawks would add to their tally in the seventh as Alex Ellison used heads-up baserunning to run home during a successful steal of second base before an RBI single from Nolan Evans scored Duffek, making it 8-2.

Rivier would use timely hitting in the eighth to score five runs as Ben O'Connell, Alex Gallicano, and Dylan Aliberti recorded RBI singles to make it 8-7.

The Raiders would tie the game up at 8-8 in the top of the ninth as O'Connell knocked in Normand from third on a groundout to complete the comeback, tying the game at 8-all.

With the bases loaded and no outs yet to be recorded, Ty Baker came in to relieve Patrick Young and struck out his first two batters. Jairo Santos stepped into the box and put a ball into right field to walk it off for the Hawks in the final frame.

Rivier used five innings of three-run ball from Anthony Morro who started on the bump for the first time in 2024, striking out six while walking five and allowing three hits.

The Raiders are set to conclude their Spring Break schedule with a doubleheader against Wells slated for 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. from Polo Grounds.