ELMIRA, N.Y. – The Hilbert College baseball team got right back in the swing of things today as they outran the rain in Western New York for a home double header at Elmira College.
Hilbert got on the board first and big early in both games but the Soaring Eagles used a big 6th inning push to take a 10-9 non-conference victory from Hilbert in the opening game.
The Hawks stayed strong defensively throughout the second game and held the hosts in an 8-5 night cap win.
In the opening game, things looked good for Hilbert.
Paul Wujek continued his hot hitting streak as he finished with three hits (one double) with a pair of RBIs and runs scored.
Joshua Maier matched efforts with a pair of RBIs and double-bagger, as
Anthony Wurstner collected two hits.
Winfred Nelson fanned three batters and gave up four hits which led to three runs as he took the loss on the mound.
Michael Goodberry opened the game through three innings surrendering seven hits and
Andrew Cartaginese closed against 10 batters with four hits and one earned run.
Goodberry got out of the 1st inning with three quick outs against the top of Elmira's batting order before the Hawks posted the Soaring Eagles with five runs to start the game.
Wujek and Wurstner each singled and moved a base on a wild pitch.
Ryan Bonafede knocked in Wujek for the opening run on of the game.
Kevin Moore moved Bonafede to second after he took a ball the body and, with bases now loaded, Maier's double down the left field line scored two more runs for Hilbert. After pitching yesterday,
Sal Carroccia served as the team's DH and he singled to left field which Moore took advantage of and sprinted home for the fourth run.
Tristan Aldinger earned the final RBI when he beat-out the throw from short and scored Maier lifting Hilbert to a 5-0 score.
Elmira chipped away at the Hawks lead and scored a pair of runs in the second and third innings as they cut the score 5-4.
Winfred Nelson took ownership of the mound to start the fourth and faced four batters without any damage.
Aldinger became the first base runner after getting hit by the pitch to start the bottom of the fourth. The freshman 2nd baseman then stole second and moved to third after Bradly Perrin grounded out. Wujek's double to left field drove in Aldinger to stretch the lead back to two.
After a scoreless inning for both sides, Elmira found their rhythm and runs in the top of the 6th. With bases loaded after the fourth batter,
Andrew Cartaginese took the mound. A throwing error gave Elmira their first score and then a double to center field tacked on three more runs. After the next batter singled through the left side, Cartaginese picked him off at first. The senior hurler shut the inning down with a K but now trailed the hosts 9-6.
Hilbert responded right away. Aldinger tripled to right field and came home off Perrin's sac fly. Wujek and Wurstner, as they did earlier in the game, moved to third and second base with Bonafede at first. Elmira made a pitching change and
Kevin Moore earned an RBI before Maier's third out ended the inning.
Cartaginese found himself with runners on first and second after throwing out a sac bunt at first base. He picked up his second out before giving up an RBI single to left field. That batter was thrown out at second base from catcher to 2nd throw to end the inning.
Now trailing by a pair of runs, the Hawks, as the home team, had their final at bat. Facing elimination after two of Hilbert's first three batters were out, the Hawks rallied. Haug walked to give the home team life. He moved forward on a wild pitch and advanced to third when Perrin singled to the left side. Wujek's RBI single trimmed the score to one, and life was still good with bases loaded as Bonafede stepped up at bat. The junior popped up to short stop which ended the come-back rally.
Just like in the first game, Hilbert jumped out of the gate fast.
Wujek, Wurstner and Moore earned hits and Bonafede reached on a fielding error. Along the way, two runs were scored. After a pair of outs were in the book, Perrin singled up the middle to push Bonafede home and Aldinger's at bat gave Moore time to trot home. Wujek worked his way back to the plate for a second time and hit a 2-run single to the right field collecting six runs for Hilbert.
Jesus Rivera created an opportunity for Maier to score in the bottom of the second inning and Wujek pushed another run home in the bottom of the third to establish an 8-3 lead.
The Soaring Eagles posted a pair of runs in the top of 5th then both teams shut down in scoring.
Maier went 2-for-3 and Wujek finished 2-for-2 with 3RBIs.
Treyton delaCuesta covered three innings and finished with three earned runs off four hits.
Kevin Moore picked up his first win of the season with no earned runs and three strike-outs to his credit.
The Hawks return to the road, this time in as a real AWAY team when they travel to Pittsburgh this Saturday in a 1pm DH AMCC game at La Roche College.
