MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Hilbert College softball team displayed a great come-from-behind team effort this afternoon as they rallied for a 12-4 victory over Sweet Briar which gave
John Hall his first win as a head coach.
Jenna Castricone collected two hits, sparking the Hawks to a 4-3 victory over the College of Saint Elizabeth in the nightcap. The sophomore's walk-off single in the seventh helped Hilbert sweep both opponents today.Early in the day, the Hawks relied on seven hits, all singles, to drive in the 12 runs after the Vixens built their 4-1 lead off a 2-run homer in the third inning.
Hilbert's
Amanda Hucksoll walked and then stole second base at the top of the first inning. She advanced to third thanks to a
Crystal Hailey sacrifice bunt and made it home after
Morgan Grosch grounded out to the shortstop.
Sweet Briar got on the board in the third with a single RBI and added their second run one play later. With only one runner on the bags, N Jones homered to left field to take a 4-1 lead.
Hilbert strung together a big 6th inning. The Vixens struggled to control the ball as they gave several runs to the Hawks. Three of Hilbert's base runners were sent home off bases-loaded walks, hit by pitch efforts and throwing or fielding errors.
Pinch hitter
Brittany Cooley,
Anndrea Quiroga,
Morgan Grosch and
Morgan McNeill all earned RBI singles and
Hallie Seaman (sac fly) as well as Hucksoll's fielder choice moved runners home too.
The Hawks needed to hold defensively in the bottom half of the 6th since they built an 8-run lead. Rookie
Rachel Allen went to the circle and struck the first two batters out while the third grounded back to her to end the game early.
Allen struck out nine, scattered six hits with no walks in her first collegiate win in the circle. She also led the Hawks at the plate going 2 for 3.
Hucksoll scored three runs, went 1 for 2 but was walked twice as was
Crystal Hailey (0-1). Grosch pushed in 2RBI's and scored twice.
Then late in the day, Hilbert jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second against the College of Saint Elizabeth.
Anndrea Quiroga tripled before Castricone reached base on an error which sent Quiroga home.
Alexandria Wankel followed with another single to score Castricone and
Brittany Cooley crossed the plate thanks to a wild pitch.
The Eagles found a pair of runs in the top of the 4th but forced a 3-3 tie off a dinger over the fence in the 5th.
Action in the bottom of the 5th, both sides in the sixth and the top of the seventh was quick. Three up, three down in each of the sessions except for when Castricone connected for her first hit in the 6th. ? She was
on third ready to go home, but a great defensive stop by CSE kept the score knotted.
Gotham entered the game and shut down the bats of CSE. She struck the first two out looking and got the third into a foul ball pop-up.
Amanda Hucksoll reached on an error to start the 7th.
Crystal Hailey's sacrifice bunt to the pitcher pushed Hucksoll forward one bag.
Morgan Grosch took a ball to the body, got on base and made it to second when
Morgan McNeill's fielder's choice tagged Hucksoll out at third base. The bases were loaded again when Quiroga was walked which set the table for Castricone. The sophomore short stop singled to third base giving Grosch enough time to sprint home for the game winner before Castricone arrived at first safely.
Victoria Dzaak struck out three, gave up four hits and three runs.
Jaelyn Gotham entered the game in the 5th and held the Eagles hit-less over two innings, struck out two and didn't give up any walks or earned runs to pick up her first win of the season.
The Hawks finished with eight hits with only one strike-out but left six stranded on base.
