HAMBURG, N.Y. – The Hilbert College Baseball team did the unthinkable today. 

They swept Penn State Altoona by winning the opening game off a Ben Chowaniec walk-off hit in the bottom of the 7th and then, after trailing 15-6 by the middle of the 9th, rallied for the 16-15 win off Thomas Evans' home run.

Hilbert Baseball has recorded the program's first 20-win season, is positioning themselves to potentially host a First Round play-off game in two weeks and continue to set single season records as they go.

Thomas Evans finished the day with a pair of homers, six runs scored, 5 RBI and a three doubles.  Sebastian Gomez had a great day at the plate collecting five hits as he went 4-for-5 in the night cap.  Jairo Santos did a little of everything, going 4-for-8 with 4 RBIs and three stolen bases and Patrick Whelan got the Hawks going in Game 1 with his home run as he added three hits, four RBIs and scored two runs today.

Michael Contini picked up his fourth win while Brendan Walsh earned his 10th save this season in game one.  The bull pen pulled through for the Hawks in the nightcap and Jack Gallagher picked up his first collegiate victory..

Game 1:

• Altoona opened the first inning with three doubles all down the left field line as they took a 3-0 lead out of the gate.  The Hawk responded with a pair in the bottom of the 1st and held the Lions in check until they found one run in the fourth and fifth innings.  Hilbert knotted the game in the fifth and won the game with bases loaded walk-off by Chowaniec.  Patrick Whelan's two-run homer in the 5th pulled Hilbert within one and Alex Eillison reached on a fielding error to plate Gomez for the 5-5 score. 

Sebastian Gomez went 2-for-4, Griffin McAndrews and Evans scored twice, and both Jack Duffek and Evans hit doubles.

Contini (4-2) allowed three earned runs, struck out one and gave up seven hits in six innings.  Walsh closed the game against four batters, striking out one and getting the other two to hit into outs.

Game 2:

• The Hawks went up early, only to find themselves trailing the Lions 4-2 by the top of the 3rd.  Altoona added another run in the top half while Hilbert knotted the game in the bottom half, before going up 6-5 through five innings.  Altoona manufactured nine runs over three innings while holding the Hawks in check and after they added the 15th run at the top of the 9th, things didn't look good for Hilbert.

Here is the complete 9th inning comeback:

	PSA / HIL
B. Chowaniec pinch hit for B. Ratajczak.	15	6
B. Chowaniec struck out looking.	15	6
E. McClain walked.	15	6
T. Evans doubled to center field, RBI; E. McClain scored.	15	7
P. Whelan doubled to right field, RBI; T. Evans scored.	15	8
D. Martinez pinch hit for G. McAndrews.	15	8
D. Martinez flied out to lf.	15	8
S. Gomez singled to left field; P. Whelan advanced to third.	15	8
J. Santos singled to second base, RBI; S. Gomez advanced to second; P. Whelan scored.	15	9
J. Duffek reached first on an error by 2b; J. Santos advanced to second; S. Gomez advanced to third.	15	9
A. Ellison reached first on an error by cf, 2 RBI; J. Duffek advanced to third; J. Santos scored, unearned; S. Gomez scored, unearned.	15	11
B. Chowaniec singled through the left side, RBI; A. Ellison advanced to second; J. Duffek scored, unearned.	15	12
C. Hickey to p for S. Wing.	15	12
E. McClain doubled to left field, RBI; B. Chowaniec advanced to third; A. Ellison scored, unearned.	15	13
F. McCabe pinch ran for E. McClain.	15	13
F. McCabe advanced to third; B. Chowaniec scored on a wild pitch, unearned.	15	14
T. Evans homered to center field, unearned, 2 RBI; F. McCabe scored, unearned.	15	16

Jack Gallagher faced four batters in the top of the 9th struck out one and got out of the inning without allowing a run for his first win.

Evans went 4-for-5, scored four runs, knocked in four runs and hit a pair of home runs which continues to stretch his all-time career leading record.  Santos went 3-for4 with 3 RBIs and two stolen bases, and both Whelan (2 hits, 2 runs) and Alex Ellison recorded 2 RBIs as well.

Up Next:

Hilbert 20-14) has a few days off before their next home game against Medaille University April 26th.  The non-conference double header returns to the FSSJ Complex with a Senior Day Celebration honoring Michael Contini, Thomas Evans, Frank McCabe, Josh McTigue, Zackory Panfil, and Patrick Whelan before the 1pm game against the Mavs.