17-0 box 23-5 box
HAMBURG, NY – Hosting their first home game since the 2010 season, the Hilbert College softball team faced the hot-hitters from Penn State Altoona March 31. Altoona ripped the Hawks in both Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference contests 17-0, 23-5 to improve to 4-0 in league and 18-2 overall. Hilbert (3-8, 1-3) didn’t match the fire-power of the Lions as Altoona's junior pitcher Jackie Smith threw a perfect game to start the day as well as the Lions hitting three home runs for the day.
Altoona jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning of the early game and did not look back. The Lions put runs on the board each inning with the big splash coming in the second when Kahla Lutz earned the game’s first home run. She drove in two RBIs and chipped in on the five runs scored before the bottom of the second. The Hawks were charged with six errors and were doubled-up with plate appearances by Altoona. The Lions went 14 for 34 with 13 RBIs compared to Hilbert’s 15 at bats. Emili Ripley (1-4) threw the complete game with two strikeouts while Smith pitched five innings, allowed no runs, hits, or walks and struck out seven batters.
After a quick break, the Hawks came back with a lot of energy in game two. They jumped on Altoona in the first inning with the visitors holding a 2-0 lead. The Lions committed a few errors on defense which allowed the Hilbert runners to move around the bags for scoring opportunities. Jill Martucci scored after Kateland Ball reached first on a fielder’s choice and Ball came home off the wild pitch that sent Halsey Baker to first on a walk. Rachel Collier singled, to drive Baker home for the Hawks’ first RBI of the day.
Altoona hit a double, RBI to take the lead, briefly in the second before the Hawks tied it back up at the bottom of the inning. Tiffany Marchiano became Devan Jonathan’s pinch runner after her single started another Hawks’ run. Vicki Ernst moved the runner to second with a sacrifice bunt and Martucci’s double sent Marchiano home to knot the game at 4-4.
The third inning was all Altoona and it closed the door on any comeback from the Hawks. With bases loaded, Allison Stugart hit a grand slam putting the Lions up 10-4. The next two batters each hit doubles before Jonathan was relieved by Ernst in the circle. Altoona’s eight runs didn’t stop the Hawks from believing though.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Collier hit a single to the right field and come home off an Allison Hall triple which finished the Hilbert scoring for the afternoon.
Altoona exploded with another big inning in the top of the 5th when Christina Stathes hit a two-run homer to contribute to the 11 runs tallied before the third out.
Hilbert doesn’t have much time off before their next game. They travel to Erie, PA April 1 to face Mount Aloysius College. Both teams will play the rescheduled AMCC double header at Penn State Behrend beginning at 11 am.