WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Junior Alex Halbert (Laurel, Md. / Atholton) spun 5.0 scoreless innings and senior shortstop Sean Perkins (Alexandria, N.J. / Hayfield) launched his first home run of the season to lead the Lycoming College baseball team to a 7-0 victory in the opener of a doubleheader against Hilbert College, before the Hawks overcame a four-hit game and three-run homer from senior Brody Lindsey (Monrovia, Md. / DeMatha Catholic) for a 6-3 victory in the nightcap on Saturday, Feb. 28 at Brandon Park.
Lycoming (4-3) turned three double plays and earned their second shutout victory of the season in the home opener, before Hilbert (1-3) turned back numerous Warrior threats to take the second contest.
In the opener, the Warriors took control right away. After a twin killing ended a Hilbert threat in the top of the first, the first two Lycoming hitters walked, before an errant throw scored senior Nick Reeder (Montoursville, Pa. / Montoursville Area) for the first run of the game. Two batters later, Perkins turned on a hanging breaking ball and deposited it over the left field fence for a two-run shot, giving the Warriors a 3-0 lead after the opening frame.
One inning later, the Warriors added to the lead. Senior catcher Nick Hoheb (Brick, N.J. / Brick Township) singled and scooted to third on an error in center field, then scored on a groundout. With two outs, Reeder doubled, went to third on an infield hit from senior Josh Bottger (Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Wilkes-Barre Area), then scored when Bottger was caught in a rundown, putting the Warriors ahead 5-0.
On the mound, Halbert navigated plenty of traffic, working out of a first-and-third, no-out jam in the third and a first-and-second, no-out spot in the fourth, inducing double play grounders in each frame. He then worked a scoreless fifth as well, finished 5.0 scoreless innings for the second start in a row.
Meanwhile, the Warriors grew the lead further as Hoheb singled home junior Eric MacCluen (Downingtown, Pa. / Bishop Shanahan) in the fourth, then MacCluen added an RBI hit of his own an inning later.
Halbert (2-0) ran his scoreless string to 14.0-straight scoreless frames to open the year, working 5.0 innings of two-hit ball, while walking four and striking out four to earn the win. Senior Matt Guido (Holbrook, N.J.) earned one out and walked one of the bullpen, while sophomore righty Lex Nelsen (Freehold, N.J. / Freehold Township) got the final two men, one by strikeout, in the sixth, before senior southpaw Sammy Pollott (Bethesda, Md. / Walter Johnson) allowed a hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning to cap off the first game.
MacCluen and Hoheb each were 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in game one, while Perkins drove in two on his round-tripper.
In the nightcap, Hilbert struck first, doing so in the second against Lycoming senior starter Jake Wilber (Toms River, N.J. / Toms River South) when Reed Lesmeister scored on a groundout and Alex Ellison singled home a run to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.
Wilber settled down with a pair of scoreless innings before Lesmeister singled in Patrick Evans to extend the margin to three runs in the fifth. After Wilber (1-1) departed following 5.0 innings of three-run ball, Hilbert pushed the lead to 6-0 in the sixth, on RBI singles from Harley Hoag and Evans and an error to bring in the final tally.
Hawks starter Andrew Johnson (1-0) scattered seven hits, including stranding three leadoff doubles, across 6.0 scoreless innings before the Warriors finally broke through against the bullpen. A two-out error, followed by a single from senior AJ Llorente (Williamsport, Pa. / Montoursville Area), put two on for Lindsey, who blasted a 3-1 fastball 368 feet out to left for a three-run shot, halving the lead on his second homer of the year.
Senior Joel Inman (Berlin, N.J. / Eatstern Regional) allowed no earned runs over 1.1 innings in relief and junior Grayson Rinker (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Montoursville Area) followed with 2.0 scoreless frames to keep Lycoming in range, but the Warriors drew no closer against Hilbert's Greg Lowry, who went the final 3.0 innings for the save.
Lindsey went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, and three RBI, while Llorente and sophomore catcher Tyler Wetzel (Hughesville, Pa. / Hughesville) each notched two hits.
The Warriors will be back in action on Wednesday, Mar. 4 for a non-conference matchup against Gettysburg College. First pitch from Brandon Park is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
