Devils out-slug Hilbert
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Baseball
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State Blue Devils swept Hilbert College in a doubleheader at Ludwig Field on Monday. The Devils claimed game one 11-9, before taking the nightcap, 8-5.
Game one at the friendly confines was not so friendly for the pitchers. With a stiff wind blowing out for the entire games, the two teams combined for 20 runs.
The Devils scored first, as Mark Majka (Depew/St. Francis) drove in a pair with a second-inning single. Don Kirsch (Attica) drove in the Devils’ third run with a single in the third. The Devils upped their lead to 6-0 when Josh Greco (Lockport) roped a bases-loaded double in the fourth.
The Hawks then began to mount their comeback. Solo homeruns from Dave Cunningham and Nick Sherman made it 6-2. Following an error and a walk, Colby Miller plated two more runs with a double during the four-run fifth, making it 6-4.
Majka then drove another pair of runs home with a single in the bottom of the fifth for the Devils, making it 8-4.
The Hawks would continue their comeback with four runs in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 8-all.
The Devils answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, the last two coming on a Taylor Gahagen (Amherst/Williamsville North) homerun.
Hilbert plated one more in the seventh before finally succumbing with the go-ahead run at the plate to end the game.
Dan Greco (Lockport) picked up the win in relief for the Devils. Kirsch finished the game with three hits to pace the Devils. Sherman had three hits for the Hawks. Patrick Lagueras took the loss in relief for Hilbert.
The Devils jumped out early again in game 2. Jake Nowak plated three runs as the Hilbert leftfielder misplayed a line drive. Josh Greco homered in the second – a three-run shot -- putting the Devils up 6-1 at that point.
The Hawks used back-to-back doubles and an infield error to plate two runs in the top of the fourth, cutting the Devils’ lead to 6-3. Three singles in the top of the fifth made it a 6-5 game.
Matt LaPorte (Westfield) led off the bottom of the fifth with a base hit and came around to score on an infield error as the Devils upped the lead to 7-5.
LaPorte drove in the game’s final run with a double in the bottom of the sixth to give the 8-5 final.
Andy Dlugosz (Buffalo/Bishop Timon) picked up his fourth win of the season, going five innings allowing three earned runs and striking out five. Jordan Hibbard (Waterford/Ft. LeBouef) picked up the save, throwing a scoreless final two innings, fanning three.
LaPorte finished the day with four hits and a pair of walks, reaching base in six of his eight plate appearances.
The Devils move to 10-4 on the season, and are idle until this weekend. They take on Oswego and Cortland on the road in SUNYAC action. Hilbert falls to 4-10.