BUFFALO, N.Y. – Seniors
Justin Hulbert and
Paul Wujek climbed a little higher in the baseball program's career statistical categories in today's split decision against D'Youville College.
The Hawks claimed a 10-2 victory behind a pair of ace pitchers while they suffered a heart-breaking 13-11 walk-off homer defeat in the night cap.
Hilbert improved to 9-19 overall and their 4-10 AMCC record keeps them alive in the pursuit for post-season play.
Wujek moved to #1 in the All-Time list for most doubles-turned, stolen base attempts (39) and positioned himself at #2 in at- bats, runs scored, hits, reached on an error, hits, most stolen bases.
Justin Hulbert moved to #2 with most strike-outs (100) and strike-outs looking (34).
The Hawks opened the day with junior
Sal Carroccia on the mound and he carried them through three innings of work facing 12 batters with a pair of strike-outs and three hits with one earned run. Hulbert took the ball the next three rounds with three-up, three-down, striking out seven, grounding out one and walking another. Sophomore
Winfred Nelson closed the game facing five batters with ones across the board – hit, run, walk, strike-out, ground out, fly out.
The Hawks posted runs in the 1st (3), the 5th (5) and 6th (2) collecting a double-digit run game.
Six players (Wujek,
Ryan Bonafede, Carroccia,
Anthony Wurstner,
Eric Flores and
Taylor Haug) each finished with two hits.
Bradley Perrin knocked in a pair of runs while
Eric Flores' home run in the 5th pushed Wurstner home and his single in the 6th gave Flores a team-leading 3 RBI game.
The Hawks trailed in the night cap 5-2 after the first inning and batted back to knot the game at 6-6 at the top of the 5th.
The Spartans tacked a single run on the board in the bottom of the 6th before Hilbert airmailed five runs on the top of 8th and 9th innings building a 11-8 lead heading into the bottom of the final inning.
Kevin Moore and Flores earned RBI's in the first inning. Wujek followed in the 2nd with a single up the middle. Flores singled down the right field line and
Jesus Rivera reached on an error to give Hilbert the tying runs in the 5th.
Anthony Wurstner matched Flores' effort in the first game with a 2-run homer and Bonafede pushed Wujek home for the Hawks' three, 8th inning runs.
Back-to-back doubles by Flores and
Tyler Shaw scored two more runs in the top of the 9th.
Wujek, Bonafede, Moore and Carroccia (3 for 3) each finished with three hits and Flores tallied three RBIs to lead the charge.
Michael Voveris started the game with two earned runs against 23 batters faced. He gave up eight hits with four walks and struck two out.
Christopher Newman picked up the slack and went 3.1 innings against 12 batters with four strike outs and two hits before
Kevin Moore finished the 8th inning.
Andrew Cartaginese closed the game in the ninth inning and took the loss.
He got two of the first three batters out before their fourth tripled to left center scoring one, who got a base with a walk. The next two batters singled with the first hitter earning an RBI as the Spartans trailed by one run. D'Youville's next man to the plate swung for the fence and drove in three runs for a walk-off win.
The Hawks now must beat Penn State Altoona on Saturday for a chance to continue into post season. Hilbert will also honor their seniors prior to the start of the games which will begin at 1pm April 30.
