PITTSBURGH, Pa. – After falling in the first game to La Roche, the Hilbert College softball team looked in good shape in the night cap but the Hawks offense stalled as the Redhawks took an AMCC sweep from the visitors April 2.
Hilbert (4-11 overall) wasn't able to match La Roche's 4th inning 5-run punch in the opening game. The Redhawks (10-5 overall) broke a 5-5 tie mid-way through the game and captured a 10-5 season-opening AMCC contest.
The Hawks held a 2-1 lead through the first two full innings in the nightcap before La Roche put two runs on the board in the bottom of the third. That 3-2 score held the rest of the way and the red and white improved to 2-0 in league while the royal and white fell to 0-2.
Things looked great for Hilbert in the 1pm game as they built a 5-0 advantage through the middle of the 2nd inning. After a few walks and an
Anndrea Quiroga single to center field,
Jenna Castricone knocked in three runs with a double to center field in the top of the first inning. Then three La Roche errors led to a pair of Hilbert runs in the top of the 2nd as Hilbert stretched the score to 5-0.
La Roche benefited from four Hilbert errors which turned into five runs off four hits in the bottom of the second inning as the score was quickly knotted at 5-5.
After a pitching change with two runners on base in the bottom of the 4th, La Roche's third batter tripled to right field and knocked in a pair of runs to open the game up. A single to right field then pushed in the third run of the inning before an error in left field allowed the final two runs to plate.
Neither team was able to return home as the game ended in La Roche's favor.
Castricone went 2-for-4 with 3RBIs and
Crystal Hailey connected for a pair of hits and one stolen base.
Victoria Dzaak and
Jaelyn Gotham shared time on the mound, but Dzaak took the loss after giving up two earned runs. She faced 21 batters and struck out two while Gotham faced 15 with six walks and one earned run.
Morgan Grosch started things off on the right foot in the night cap. She doubled to right field and scored
Alexandria Wankel who walked as the lead-off batter.
Morgan McNeill' single RBI pushed Grosch home for the second run in the inning.
Gotham sent the first three Redhawk batters back to their dug out and got out of the inning fast.
La Roche posted their first run in the bottom of the second and the scored stayed 2-1 through the top of the third.
The Redhawks found two more runs in the bottom of the next inning thanks to back-to-back triples and that is where the game stayed the rest of the way en route to a 3-2 home field win.
Amanda Hucksoll collected a pair of hits as the Hawks were credited with 8 hits, three more than La Roche.
Rachel Allen did a nice job in the circle limiting La Roche to five hits and three earned runs. She struck five out and walked one in her fourth defeat in seven games.
The Hawks return to action Friday, April 8 when they travel through southern NY to face Alfred State in a 3pm double header. The next day, Hilbert is scheduled to play in Cresson, Pa for another AMCC double header against Mt. Aloysius at 1 and 3pm.
