NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. –  The Hilbert College softball team opened their 2022 season with a pair of morning games in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.  The Hawks took on Eastern Mennonite at 9:30 am and closed the afternoon against Cedar Crest College.

FINAL SCORES

Game 1: Eastern Mennonite 11 – Hilbert 2, 5 innings
Game 2: Cedar Crest 12 – Hilbert 5

GAME ONE

• Hannah Coken carried the Hawks through 3.2 innings with three earned runs, six walks and one strike out before Victoria Grayson closed the game with the loss.
• Makenna Smith's opened the fourth inning with a double, advanced on a wild pitch and made it home off Hannah Coken's single to left field.  Victoria Grayson, who walked to first base, scored the Hawks final run in the game when Lily Zimmerman poked a single to center field.
• Eastern Mennonite loaded the scoreboard with eight runs in the bottom of the 1st and held that lead until the Hawks posted a pair at the top of the 4th.  The Royals earned the win after tacking on three additional runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

GAME TWO

• Cedar Crest built a 7-run lead by the time the Hawks were at bat in the bottom of the second inning.  Hilbert closed the gap to four runs (8-4) midway through the game but surrendered four more scores in the top of the 5th for the loss.
• Kaitlyn Barone went 2-for-3, with one RBI and scored two runs while Emma McNamara earned two hits with two RBIs.
• Cedar Crest collected four runs after loading the bases in the top of the 1st, held the Hawks in check in the bottom half and then added three more tallies in the score book in the second inning.
• Lauyrn Scott reached on fielder's choice and made it home off Emma McNamara's double.  Leandra Cruz's sac fly to center gave Kaitlyn Barone time to score the Hawks second run of the inning.
• Hilbert made a big defensive stop to end the next inning by throwing out a player at the plate attempting to score.
• Victoria Grayson's double in the 3rd scored Makenna Smith which sliced into the lead, but the Falcons walked another run in after a pitching change in the 4th.
• McNamara poked her second double and scored Barone as the first two players to hit early in the fourth inning.
• Cedar Crest manufactured four runs in the 5th while the Hawks responded with one.  Pinch-runner Chloe Champagne scored off Barone's RBI ground-out and that was the final run scored by either team the rest of the seven inning game.
• Rebecca Marmorato took the loss, sharing the circle with Bailey Budziszewski and Coken.  They collectively struck out four, walked five and gave up nine earned runs off 12 hits.

 
 UP NEXT

The Hawks (0-2) return to action Monday, March 7 with another set of games beginning at 9:30 am.  Hilbert will battle Thiel College then stay on the same diamond for a game against Blackburn University immediately after.