HAMBURG, N.Y. – La Roche baseball opened the AMCC Tournament in the best of three first round on Friday in doubleheader action against #3 Hilbert. In game one, the Redhawks pulled out a gutsy 7-5 victory in 11 innings, then the #6 seed dominated the host in game two, taking it 11-1 to sweep the Hawks and advance to the AMCC Championship Round.
GAME ONE: La Roche 7 Hilbert 5 F/11
La Roche wasted no time jumping ahead in game one, as Caden Maffitt scored Josh Dreyer with an RBI groundout in the top of the first to make it 1-0.
A second Redhawk run crossed in the top of the second, as Dom Brncic scored on an error to move it to 2-0.
La Roche continued to build the lead in the fourth, as Tanner Schmitt drove in Christian Melendez and Ricky Heyz with a two RBI triple, followed by a Dreyer RBI single to score Schmitt as the edge grew to 5-0.
Hilbert battled back however, scoring four runs to make it a 5-4 game in the bottom of the fourth, then in the bottom of the eighth, tied the game, 5-5.
After a quiet 10th inning, the 11th belonged to the red and black, as Dimitri Gary doubled in Schmitt and then a Hawks error allowed Gary to cross, making it 7-5 and La Roche shut the door from there.
Larry Bielawski got the start and across 7.1 innings allowed five runs, seven hits, one walk and struck out three.
Redd Bursic closed the eighth inning, walking two and allowing a hit in 0.2 inning, then Cameron Mauk picked up the win and closed out the game with three one hit innings and also fanned one.
Offensively, the Redhawks scattered 12 hits in the game with Schmitt leading the charge going 3-for-4, while Christian Melendez and Josh Dreyer both had a pair of hits.
GAME TWO: La Roche 11 Hilbert 1
After putting the #3 seed on the brink of elimination in game one, La Roche made sure they gave the higher seed little chance in game two.
The Redhawks opened the game with a four spot in the top of the first, as Gary drove in Dreyer with an RBI single, then Heyz belted a bases clearing double to move the score to 4-0.
Bielawski moved the score to 6-0 in the top of the second with a two-run homer, then later, Brncic drove in Gary with an RBI single to make the score read 7-0.
Bielawski and Gary were right back at it in the top of the third, both picking up RBI singles to move the needle to 9-0.
La Roche picked up its 10th unanswered run in the top of the fourth, as Schmitt drove in Heyz on a fielder's choice.
Hilbert's lone score of the game crossed in the bottom of the fifth off an RBI single, then in the top of the seventh, the Redhawks closed the scoring as Bielawski's RBI fielder's choice scored Schmitt.
Casey Jones threw yet another complete game gem, allowing just one run, nine hits and struck out 14 without allowing a walk.
Offensively, La Roche peppered the Hawks to the tune of 18 hits, as Gary led the way with a 4-for-5 showing, followed by Bielawski and Dreyer who each went 3-for-5. Melendez and Heyz both picked up a pair of hits as well.
The Redhawks now prepare for the AMCC Tournament Championship Round that will be hosted by top seeded Mt. Aloysius. La Roche will be the second game played on opening day of the double elimination final four, and meet #2 Penn State Behrend on Thursday, May 9 at 4 p.m.