11-3 box 5-4 box
ERIE, PA – For the first time since the 2005 season, Hilbert College grabbed an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference victory over Penn State Behrend in softball after their 5-4 win March 28. Junior Devan Jonathan got the win in the circle improving the Hawks to 1-1 in league play (3-6 overall). Behrend (3-1, 8-8) took the first game, 11-3, to open the double header set of games.
Hilbert found themselves down 2-0 before they exploded with four runs with two outs in the top of the fifth inning. Allison Hall, Vicki Ernst, Jill Martucci, Emily Ripley all hit singles while Natalie Whitman reached base on a short stop error to give the Hawks hopes for a come-back. Hilbert held defensively at the bottom of the inning and continued to add another run in the top of the sixth when Kateland Ball’s double got her on base. Jonathan hit what turned out to be the winning RBI to end the Hawks scoring. Hilbert blanked Behrend in the sixth inning. The visitors held on for the 5-4 win in the bottom of the seventh after surrendering two runs before ending the game.
Martucci went 2 for 4 and Ripley and Jonathan each earned the team’s RBI’s. Jonathan struck out 7 but gave up eleven hits.
The Hawks opened game one with three quick scores at the top of the first inning: Ripley singled to left field and made it home off a Halsey Baker double; Ball singled to center field and Rachel Collier was walked creating a bases loaded situation. Allison Hall reached first base on an error by the third basewoman pushing Baker home just before Ball ran to the plate. Hilbert held their lead briefly only to see it evaporate after the Lions ran the bases for five scores in the bottom of the first inning.
Behrend continue to build their lead in the bottom of the third (2 runs) and again in the bottom of the fourth with 4 runs. After Hilbert’s at bat in the top of the fifth, when they did not score additional runs, the game ended in five innings. Ripley took the loss going 3.2 innings with one strike out.
The Hawks host Penn State Altoona March 31 for their second set of AMCC games.
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