WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Hilbert College Baseball returned to action Saturday afternoon with a non‑conference road doubleheader at Lycoming. After falling 7-0 in game one, the Hawks salvaged the split with a 6-3 triumph in the nightcap led by a strong outing from
Andrew Johnson and timely hitting from the Hilbert offense.
Game One: Hilbert 0 – Lycoming 7
Lycoming took control early in the opener, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first on a defensive miscue and a two‑run homer. The Warriors added two more in the second and tacked on single tallies in the fourth and fifth to build a 7–0 advantage. Hilbert threatened multiple times including a double from
Alex Ellison and singles by
Patrick Evans,
Jude Khoury, and
Shane Pray but could not push a run across against the Lycoming pitching staff, led by starter Alex Halbert who worked five shutout innings.
The Hawks' pitching staff pieced together six innings of work, highlighted by a clean frame from Evans and the first career appearances of
Caleb Jackson and
Mason Eckman.
Game Two: Hilbert 6 – Lycoming 3
Hilbert responded in the second game, producing its strongest offensive output of the young season. After a scoreless first, the Hawks broke through in the top of the second when
Reed Lesmeister singled, Pray doubled, and
Dustin Hendrix drove in a run on a groundout. Moments later, Ellison delivered an RBI single to give Hilbert a 2–0 lead.
The Hawks kept building in the middle innings, adding a run in the fifth on Lesmeister's RBI single and then erupting for three more in the sixth. After a
Logan Hoyt walk and a
Joey Haynes single,
Harley Hoag lined a run‑scoring single to push the lead to 4–0. Evans followed with another RBI knock before Khoury reached on an error that allowed a third run to score, extending the advantage to 6–0.
On the mound, Johnson was outstanding, tossing six scoreless innings while scattering seven hits and striking out three earning the quality start and his first Hilbert win.
Lycoming used a three-run homer in the seventh to cut the lead in half, but
Gregory Lowry closed the door to secure the save, pitching the final three innings for the Hawks.
Hilbert totaled 13 hits in the win, led by three‑hit days from Hoag and Lesmeister, and multi‑hit contributions from Evans and Ellison.
UP NEXT:
The Hawks will look to build on the game two victory when the team hosts SUNY Fredonia for a doubleheader on Wednesday beginning at 12 pm.
