HAMBURG, N.Y. - After coming off their first AMCC playoff appearance and a 5th place regular season finish last season, the Hilbert College baseball team looks to duplicate their success from a year ago and make a return trip to postseason play in 2017.
 
The Hawks have a very different look from a year ago, as there has been a change in command with Drew Fittry being elevated to head coach and his staff of all new assistants. The new additions to the coaching staff include assistants Pete Trzybinski, Brendan Toughey, Joe Christiano, and Dylan Baun who have all contributed to Fittry's perspective in creating a winning culture and attitude.
 
This year's squad will turn to it's veteran leadership and offensive fire power to propel the team during its' AMCC league play this season. Senior catcher Ryan Bonafede enters his fourth season and looks to finish off what has been a historic career as a Hawk. Bonafede became the 8th Hilbert player ever to eclipse the 100-hit mark last season and currently sits 50 hits shy of the All-Time school record. Last season, Bonafede also became the program's All-Time leader in HBP's (18) and runners caught stealing (27). The senior captain finished with a remarkable .407 batting average (3rd in AMCC) and .477 on base percentage (4th in AMCC) during his junior campaign, earning him 2nd Team All-AMCC and being named Team MVP for the second consecutive year. Senior first basemen Kevin Moore also had a stellar junior campaign, turning in a .336 batting average and a team-leading 27 RBI to earn him 3rd Team All-AMCC honors. Moore also proved to be a strong contributor on the mound as he posted a 1.69 ERA in 10.2 innings pitched.
 
The Hawks will also be looking to get strong contributions this season from their other four seniors in Michael Voveris, Anthony Wurstner, Michael Best and Dalton Reynolds.  
 
This season the Hawks staff has many new faces but looks to continue the success it has seen over Fittry's tenure. Senior captain Michael Voveris will play a key role on the Hawks pitching staff as he comes into his senior season as the only returning conference starter on the Hawks staff. Voveris had a breakout season in 2016 as he posted a 3.86 ERA overall and a led the team with a miniscule 2.08 ERA in conference games. The senior southpaw looks to lead the youthful Hawks pitching staff to achieve the success they were able to have a season ago. Junior Winfred Nelson and sophomore standout Tristan Aldinger are poised to have breakout seasons in 2017 as they are pegged to be conference starters this season. Fellow freshman Henry Bowers is expected to round off the starting rotation. Freshman Ryan Samuels, and sophomores Treyton delaCuesta and Michael Goodberry are slated to provide depth to the Hawks bullpen.
 
Sophomore captain Taylor Haug and junior Eric Flores will be the mainstays in the outfield. Both players have made great strides from last season and will be relied upon as key contributors both offensively and defensively in 2017. Junior utility man, Bradley Perrin, is also expected to see lots of action as a make shift player who can be another reliable bat in the Hawks lineup.
 
Coach Fittry feels strongly about the quality of the freshman class as many of them will have their numbers called upon early and often in 2017. Freshman infielders Ian Moran, Izaiah Diaz, Brandon Zicari, Ryan Perrin and Thomas Tette will be looked at to provide quality play on the infield.

Fittry and his staff will guide the Hawks through a difficult schedule in 2017. They will open the season going back to Florida Coast Spring Training (Fort Pierce, FL) from March 2nd - March 11th for a 9-game stint. The Hawks will also play seven non-conference opponents back up north including: Wells, Elmira, Fredonia, Keuka, Utica, Alfred State and Baldwin Wallace. 

Hilbert's AMCC schedule finds them hosting Penn State Behrend, Mount Aloysius, Penn State Altoona and Medaille. The Hawks will travel to La Roche (preseason #4 in the country), D'Youville, Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Greensburg.