Ft. Pierce, Fl – After building a 7-3 lead heading into the top of the 9th inning, senior Joshua Maier knocked in pinch-runner Dalton Reynolds for an 8-7 victory over Eastern University this morning.  
 
The Hawks, playing one-game per day while in Florida, have to wait until tomorrow for their next challenge as they improved to 1-0.   
 
As a team, Hilbert collected 12 hits with eight RBIs after hitting .316. The Hawks bullpen held Eastern to .222 hitting but gave up 4 doubles, and 1 triple (3RBI) in eight hits.  Both teams finished with six strike-outs and three walks.
 
After three score-less innings, Eastern posted a pair of runs in the top of the fourth.  Hilbert responded in the bottom half with three of their own and tacked on two more in the bottom of the 7th. 
 
Eastern added one run in the 8th but the royal and white found two more runs in the bottom half and held a 7-3 lead going into the final at-bats.
 
Eastern put together a four-run spurt to tie the game at 7-7 but they could not contain the middle of Hilbert's batting order to close the game.
 
Ryan Bonafede doubled to center field and was replaced at second base by Dalton Reynolds.  Kevin Moore struck out swinging just before Maier poked one to left field.  Reynolds used his speed on the bags and made it home for the game-winning run.
 
Bonafede (3-for-5 with an RBI) and Maier (game winning hit) both earned doubles to lead the Hawks to victory. 
 
Anthony Wurstner led with 3RBIs after going 2-for-4 at the plate and Taylor Haug was credited with the solo stolen base after he went 1-for-3 and scored twice for the Hawks.
 
Justin Hulbert went seven innings before Michael Voveris and Treyton delaCursta tossed from the mound in the 8th and a portion of the 9th.  Andrew Caraginese got the victory after he closed the game against two batters collecting a strike-out looking and a strike that resulted in  a double-play out.
 
Hilbert will face Monmouth College at 12 noon on March 6.