GOWANDA, N.Y. – Hilbert College Softball hosted La Roche University this afternoon at Gowanda High School in an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference doubleheader. The two sides split a pair of evenly contested contests to each start out 1-1 in the conference.
The Redhawks from La Roche took game one 4-2 thanks to three straight runs after a 2-1 Hilbert lead.
Game two needed twelve innings to decide a winner, as
Emma Gionta's walk-off double would send the Hawks home with their first conference win of the season.
Game 1:
The first run of game one would belong to La Roche in the second inning after neither team got on the board in the first. A fielder's choice scored the leadoff runner to give the visitors the early 1-0 advantage.
This lead did not last long, as Hilbert tied the game and eventually took the lead in the bottom of the third.
Emily Lacki recorded an RBI on a ground out with the bases loaded, and
Victoria Hanley brought
Makenna Smith home on a sacrifice fly for the 2-1 lead.
The Redhawks responded with a pair of runs of their own their next trip to the plate in the top of the fourth inning. An error allowed two players to come home and make the score 3-2 in favor of La Roche.
La Roche grabbed another run in the top of the seventh inning on a double to extend the lead to 4-2. The Hawks loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning but could not capitalize with any runs to extend or win the game.
BY THE NUMBERS:
Game 2:
Alana Yadov got the start in the circle in game two for the Hawks and immediately found herself in a pitchers' duel. Neither side was able to string together multiple hits in an inning for the regulation seven innings, resulting in a 0-0 score heading into extra innings.
Despite each team getting a runner on second base to start the inning, the eighth inning was much like the previous seven, scoreless.
The first runs of the game came in the top of the ninth to give La Roche a 2-0 lead. A leadoff single scored the runner on second, and a wild pitch brought home a runner on third to double the lead.
After Gionta advanced to third on a passed ball, she was brought home on a single from
Kailey Stolowski to cut the lead in half. Down to their final out, Hilbert was able to tie the game on a single from Yadov that scored Stolowski. A third out from the Hawks would send the game into the tenth inning.
La Roche once again brought home the runner on second to grab the lead in the tenth inning. This time, Yadov did not allow another runner to come home, sending the Hawks into the bottom half of the inning down 3-2.
Leadoff hitter,
Marissa Czombel reached on an error that brought
Samantha Heppel in from second base to tie the game. After a pitching change from the Redhawks, Hilbert saw their next three batters go down in a row to send the game to yet another extra inning.
Hilbert looked like they were going to escape the eleventh unscathed after two quick outs, but back-to-back two out singles scored a pair of runs for La Roche for a 5-3 lead. Game one starter
Kailey Stolowski returned to the mound to close out the inning and limit the damage.
Emily Lacki cut the lead in half with an RBI single, and
Samantha Heppel's two-out infield single once again tied the game for the Hawks. Hilbert had a chance with the bases loaded, but a strikeout sent the game to the twelfth inning.
Kailey Stolowski made quick work of the Redhawks in the top of the frame to set her team up to win the game in the home half of the twelve.
That is exactly what the Hawks did as
Emma Gionta sent the ball to the wall to score the Hilbert pitcher to win the game 6-5.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- Emily Lacki (3) and Alana Yadov (2) each recorded multiple hits for Hilbert.
- Yadov went 10.2 innings allowing 2 earned runs while striking out nine Redhawks.
- Kailey Stolowski earned her fifth win of the season on the mound after coming in to pitch in the eleventh. The freshman threw 1.1 scoreless innings with one strikeout.
Up Next:
The Hawks will head to Erie, PA for another AMCC doubleheader as they take on Penn State Behrend. The first game is set to begin at 3 pm.
