MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Hilbert College Baseball wrapped up play at the Ripken Experience this afternoon with a matchup against unbeaten WPI. After falling down big in the seventh inning, the Hawks pushed late, bringing the tying run to the plate multiple times, but Hilbert ultimately fell 8-6 to the Engineers.
The Hawks opened the afternoon locked in a pitcher's duel as
Gregory Lowry and WPI starter Luke Blandino traded zeroes throughout the first three frames. WPI broke the scoreless stretch in the fourth, stringing together a pair of singles before capitalizing on a throwing error that allowed the game's first run to cross. An RBI single up the middle extended the Engineers' lead to 2–0.
Hilbert finally broke through in the sixth inning when
Patrick Evans worked a two‑out walk and came all the way around on a pinch-hit double from
Reed Lesmeister, cutting the deficit to 2–1. But the Engineers broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh with a six-run effort. After a leadoff groundout, WPI took advantage of an error and a hit‑by‑pitch with five straight run‑producing swings to widen their lead to 8–1.
Following the big WPI seventh, Hilbert answered with its best offensive frame of the contest in the eight.
Joey Haynes opened the inning with a walk, and Evans was hit by a pitch before Lesmeister blasted a three‑run home run to right field, cutting the margin to 8–4. Moments later,
Shane Pray singled and advanced on a passed ball before scoring on an infield error, bringing Hilbert within three. The Hawks loaded the bases with two outs, but WPI reliever Mason Walls induced a strikeout to end the threat.
Hilbert continued to push in the ninth when Evans lined a single down the left‑field line before moving into scoring position on a wild pitch. Pray delivered again with a run‑scoring double to make it a two‑run game, but WPI secured the final two outs to stay unbeaten on the season.
Lesmeister powered the Hilbert offense with a four‑RBI performance, finishing 2‑for‑3 with a double and his first home run of the season. Evans reached base four times and scored three runs, while Pray added a pair of hits, including a late RBI double.
Jude Khoury contributed two hits from the leadoff spot. On the mound, Lowry worked 6.2 innings with six strikeouts before giving way to
Ryan Hilton, who finished the final 1.1 frames.
UP NEXT:
The Hawks are back in action tomorrow morning as the team travels to Virgina Beach to take on Regent University at 10 am.
