MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – It was an earlier start to the day for the Hawks softball team and their bats were slow to connect.
Welsey College scored early, held Hilbert scoreless until the top of the 6th, but a walk-off homer in the bottom half by the Wolverines gave Welsey a 10-2 victory.
Then, it was Johnson State's turn to try and slow the Hawks' bats. But
Rebecca Bailey came through in the clutch with another timely hit and lifted Hilbert to a 3-1 victory in the 11:30 am game.
Hilbert fell backwards in their final game as fatigue took over in the Hawks third game of the day. Robert Morris (Springfield) took advantage of their 5-run 7th inning to create space and beat Hilbert 12-2.
With a 9:30 am start time, Welsey (9-2) moved the bags early taking a 7-0 lead with
Victoria Dzaak in the circle.
Nateal Papasergi posted a pair of Hilbert's seven hits, but it was pinch-hitter
Rebecca Bailey who knocked in both of the Hawks runs in the 6th.
Dzaak went the distance with three strike outs and seven earned runs, three off the walk-off home run.
Less than thirty minutes later, the Badgers from Johnson State had to battle
Marisa McIntyre in the circle, and they were shut-down with 12 strike outs.
Both teams pushed runs home in the 4th inning, but it was Bailey's 3-run triple that broke open the game for Hilbert as they held on for their sixth win in 10 games.
Playing their 12th game in six days, Hilbert slipped to .500 at 6-6 overall after their defeat to Robert Morris who plays in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.
The Eagles scored five runs in the top of the 2nd fueled by a double and a triple.
Hilbert responded with a single run in the bottom half when
Brittany Cooley earned her home run this season cutting the score to 5-1. The Hawks added another run in the 4th (Cooley again with an RBI single) but that was it for the royal and white.
Cooley had a great game at the plate, going 3 for 3, scored one run and knocked in Hilbert's only two runs.
Nateal Papasergi closed the game (5.2 innings) in the circle and struck out four with no walks while giving up five earned runs.
With six wins already under their belt, Hilbert is just three wins away from beating last seasons' win record (8-27). With good weather in Western New York over the next two weeks, the Hawks are hopeful to host Elmira College March 24 in an afternoon double header on campus.