7-4 box 18-8 box
GREENSBURG, PA – In an attempt to get ahead of the wet weather on Saturday, the Hilbert College baseball team traveled to Pitt-Greensburg April 20 for an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference double header tilt. The Hawks grabbed early leads in both games, but ultimately untimely breakdowns by Hilbert allowed the Bobcats to capture the lead and hold on for their 7-4 and 18-8 victories. Matt Militello hit .714 and finished with five hits, and scored five runs. Joe Pernick’s bat continued to shine for the Hawks after he went four for six and knocked in two RBIs. Greensburg clinched a spot in the AMCC playoffs with a 20-17, 10-6 record while Hilbert dropped to 8-20, 4-10.
Hilbert held a 1-0 lead through the middle of the fifth inning in the opener. Jim Pernick’s single drove Militello home from second base in the top of the first inning before the Hawks grounded into a double play to end the inning. Neither team could muster enough offense to cover the bases until Greensburg went on a four-hit, four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth. Hilbert netting one run just before the Bobcats padded the 4-2 lead with three more runs in the sixth inning. With their last ups, the Hawks earned four hits, but only scored twice. Militello whacked a double and crossed home plate after Chris Hoak’s single earned him an opportunity to run the pads himself. John Babocsi’s base hit pushed Hoak home for the final Hawk score of the game.
Hilbert earned six more hits than Greensburg (11-5) but the Bobcats turned three double plays to stall any Hawk offense. Nick Sherman (4-6) tossed the ball for five innings with four strikeouts giving up four runs. Babocsi finished with two hits and one RBI as Militello went two for three and scored two runs.
The Hawks jumped out to a 5-2 lead after three innings, and tacked on two more runs in the top of the fourth before Greensburg went on a seven-run bottom of the fourth inning tear. The flood gates opened at that point, as Greensburg tallied nine more runs over the course of the next two innings and held the Hawks scoreless to claim their AMCC playoff spot.
Militello opened the Hawks offense with a triple right out of the gate and his offense continued with a single and a double. The one long-ball out of the park missing for Militello was earned by Jim Pernick. In the four-run 3rd inning, Pernick drove in two RBIs with his team leading second home run of the season. Joe Pernick was a perfect four for four with two RBIs while Hoak earned two hits with three RBIs. Garrett Pauly went 3.2 innings with one strike out and zero earned runs. He was relieved by Derek Mort, Babocsi and Hoak.
Hilbert has a few days off before they face D’Youville College in their final AMCC game of the season April 25th at the Coca Cola Field, the Triple A ball park in downtown Buffalo which is home to the Buffalo Bisons.