FORT PIERCE, FL – After taking their first lead in the game in the top of the 7th inning, Hilbert College suffered a four-run defensive breakdown in the bottom of that same inning. St. Scholastica (5-3), a team getting votes for the Top 25 NCAA poll, then held on and captured an 8-6 victory over Hilbert to open the morning session March 13.  The Hawks ended the day with a 9-4 loss to Delaware Valley on the 4th day of competition during spring break 2014.  

The Hawks earned nine hits during the St. Scholastica game with Kevin Moore, Michael Voveris and Paul Wujek combining for six hits.

Matt Goraj went 6.1 innings and is credited with seven strike-outs.  Justin Hulbert relieved him late in the game and got two more strikes while giving up only one run.

Tom Irish hit Hilbert's only double and in the process sent Daniel Christmann home cutting the deficit to 4-3.  Dalton Reynolds made it back to the dugout on a passed ball to knot the game, and Wujek's single to right field secured the 5-4 lead.

Then, in the bottom of that 7th inning, with two guys on base, Tyler Duez whacked a three run-homer over the left field fence to reclaim the lead.  John Babocsi added one more run the next inning but that was it for both teams who settled for the 8-6 outcome.

The Hawks looked in good shape in their third meeting with Delaware Valley later that day.  They held a 4-3 lead, scoring two runs in the top of the 5th.  But Hilbert's bats were silenced the remaining four innings and Del Val padded their tallies with four runs in the sixth, with an additional marker in each of the remaining two innings.

Joe Pernick and Sal Carroccia combined for four hits and two RBIs to lead the Hawks.  Carroccia gave Hilbert their second score and Pernick's RBI came in the 5th inning along with John Babocsi's.  Ryan Bonafede spent some time running the bags and he became the Hilbert player to cross home plate twice during the 9-inning game.

Tyler Roth opened the game with solid pitching and when he left the mound in the fourth, both teams were knotted at 2-2.  The pitching crew of Patrick Matkowsky, Tyler Wangler and Sal Carroccia earned three strike outs with four walks.

Hilbert (1-6) continues their play March 14th when they battle Richard Stockton in a double header beginning at 10am.