FORT PIERCE (FL) – The Delaware Valley University baseball team had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth but suffered its first loss of the season, 10-8 to Hilbert College on Monday.
It looked like the Hawks (2-1) would cruise to victory as they entered the bottom of the eighth with a 10-3 advantage. However, the Aggies (4-1) strung together five runs in the frame to close to within two. Pinch hitter Jeremy Stewart led off with a walk. After a strikeout, left fielder Bobby Altieri reached on an error and Stewart went to second. Second baseman Mike Anusky singled through the left side, scoring Stewart and moving Altieri to second. Shortstop Kevin Crill reached on an error to load the bases before third baseman Ben Lippincott was hit by a pitch to plate Altieri. Center fielder Kyle Wenger followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Anusky. Designated hitter Matt Dewald came up and smacked a two-run double to left. Catcher Sammy Amos had a single to left but Dewald was gunned down at home plate to end the inning.
In the ninth, Stewart singled up the middle then was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice. Hilbert then turned a double play to close out the victory. Andrew Cartaginese picked up his first save of the year. Starter Sal Carroccia went 6.2 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits while striking out seven for the win (1-0). Steve Smith was tagged with the loss (0-1).
The Aggies scored in the opening frame for the fourth time in their first five contests. Crill and Lippincott hit back-to-back singles and were moved over on a sacrifice bunt by Wenger. Dewald's groundout plated Crill and Amos brought home Lippincott with a base hit to right.
The Hawks tied the game in the third. Anthony Wurstner drew a one-out walk then Anthony De La Cruz blasted a two-run jack to left center. Hilbert took the lead in the fourth on a wild pitch. The Hawks opened up the lead with four runs in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Erick Flores hit a sac fly to center. A single and an error brought home two more runs. Taylor Haug followed with a RBI single.
Wenger singled home Anusky in the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-3. However, Josh Maier crushed a three-run homer to left in the eighth to make the score 10-3.
Kevin Moore finished four-for-five with a RBI and run scored for Hilbert. Paul Wujek, De La Cruz, Maier and Haug all had two hits. For DelVal, Anusky was two-for-four while Dewald and Amos also tallied two hits in five at-bats.
The Aggies have two days off before taking on Marywood University in a doubleheader on Thursday, March 10 (9:30 a.m.).