HAMBURG, NY – Hilbert College Softball improved to 5-1 in AMCC play this evening with a thrilling, two-game sweep over the conference's defending regular and postseason champion, Penn State Behrend Lions.

Game one's 10-9 walk-off victory marked the first Hilbert victory over the Lions since April 7^th, 2013, and the first time Behrend has fallen in AMCC regular season action since April 21^st, 2023.

Additionally, with game two's 12-10 victory to complete the sweep, the Hawks became the first team to sweep Behrend in a regular season doubleheader since Head Coach Dan Opera's Medaille Mavericks did so on Saturday, April 9^th, 2022.

Game One: Hilbert 10 – Penn State Behrend 9
Game Two: Hilbert 12 – Penn State Behrend 10

Game One:

• After Behrend opened the scoring in the top of the third with a run to make it 1-0, the Hawks used a six-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth to take control of the game.
• Jazlynn Soliz, Kailey Stolowski, and Alana Yadov each singled to lead off the frame, before an error following Brooke Feliciano's single allowed Soliz to score to knot the game at one. A Kaitlin Stolowski RBI walk, Madison Esmond RBI ground out, Emily Lacki RBI single, and Samantha Heppel two RBI double rounded out the scoring in the inning for the Hawks and sent the game to the fifth inning with the hosts leading 6-1.
• Behrend got three runs back in the top of the fifth, but two more Hilbert runs in the bottom of the frame kept the Hawks in front, as an error brought home Lillian Burkley, before Kaitlin Stolowski's second RBI in as many innings made it 8-4.
• Following a scoreless sixth inning, the Lions took their first lead since the fourth inning with a five-run effort in the top of the seventh inning. The visitors hit for the cycle as a team in the frame as two singles, two doubles, a triple, and a home run saw Behrend bring a 9-8 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
• However, the Hawks just needed two batters to earn the historic win, as Kailey Stolowski's walk brought up Yadov, who's two-run home run over the wall in right field gave Hilbert the 10-9 walk-off victory.
• Yadov's home run, the fourth of her career, earned her the win in the circle as she recorded the final out of the top of the seventh against the only Lion batter she faced in the game.

Game Two:

• Following a Behrend run in the top of the first inning, the Hilbert offense picked up right where it left off with a five-run effort in the bottom of the inning. Heppel singled to open the scoring for the Hawks, before Kailey Stolowski and Ava Higgins each recorded two-RBI singles to make it 5-1 after one frame.
• The team's traded runs in the second as Kailey Stolowski's second RBI of the game answered a Behrend run to give Hilbert a 6-2 advantage.
• The scoring slowed down over the next two frames as the Lions' run in the top of the third to make it 6-3 would be the only change to the scoreboard until the fifth inning.
• Behrend's two-run showing in the top of the fifth made it a one-run game, but Hilbert took advantage of an error and a wild pitch to score a pair of runs of their own in the home half of the inning to regain the three-run advantage and make it an 8-5 game.
• The top of the sixth saw the Lions orchestrate their second five-run, lead-changing rally of the doubleheader as the Hawks trailed 10-8 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
• However, Hilbert once again had a late-game answer as Lacki's RBI double, Soliz's two RBI single, and Kimberly Bentley's sacrifice fly put the Hawks up 12-10 after six innings of play.
• Due to darkness, the game concluded prior to seventh inning, awarding Hilbert the victory to earn the sweep over Behrend and improve to 5-1 in the AMCC.

Up Next

The Hawks will look to continue the hot start in conference play with a trip to Pittsburgh to take on Carlow on Saturday, April 12^th. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1 pm.