AMCC BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK: PENN ST. ALTOONA @ HILBERT

AMCC Baseball Game of the Week
Penn State Altoona at Hilbert College
Saturday, April 30 at 1:00 p.m.

The AMCC baseball game of the week features two teams battling it out for the final conference playoff spot. Penn State Altoona and Hilbert College share identical 4-10 conference records and are both tied for sixth place in the AMCC. As the two teams enter the final weekend of regular season play, and with only six teams advancing to the postseason, the Lions and Hawks will both be fighting for their right to advance.

After missing the AMCC Tournament for the first time in six years last season, Penn State 
Altoona (11-26, 4-10 AMCC) baseball seeks to gain a bid into the conference playoffs this spring. The Lions have been led by a stellar 2016 campaign from sophomore outfielder Jim Shomberg, who currently leads the league in batting average (.468) and on-base percentage (.530) while ranking third in slugging percentage (.685) and triples (4), fourth in hits (52), sixth in total bases (76), seventh in doubles (10), and 10th in runs scored (31). The Lions have also gotten solid contributions at the plate from sophomore catcher Dan Dwyer, who is tied for the team lead in RBI with 22, and freshman designated hitter Gavin Roselli, who leads the team with four home runs and has driven in 22 runs. Sophomore first baseman Chris Michaelis has posted a strong season in his first year as a full-time starter, hitting .333 with 14 RBI. Freshman shortstop/third baseman Dylan Bates is hitting .324 with two homers, 19 RBI, and a team-high 21 walks. On the mound, junior right-hander Mike Marley has been the team’s undoubted ace. He leads the AMCC in complete games (6) while ranking fourth in starts (8), sixth in innings pitched (48.2), and seventh in strikeouts (34).

The Hilbert College baseball team is on a roll, currently focused on qualifying for the program’s first-ever AMCC play-off appearance. The Hawks (9-19, 4-10 AMCC), with six games remaining on their schedule, have four conference contests left  for them to set a new overall and league win-record.   Senior pitcher Justin Hulbert, fifth in the league with total strike-outs, and junior pitcher Sal Carroccia are a pair of southpaw hurlers who carry the Hawks on the mound.  Hulbert has a 3.83 era and Carroccia (3-1) trails with a 4.97 era.  Senior closer Andrew Cartaginese leads the bull pen with a 1.38 era having earned a three saves this season.  Junior catcher Ryan Bonafede and senior shortstop Paul Wujek are the only two players to have started all 26 games and each hit the ball at .367/.364 rate.  Junior first baseman Kevin Moore leads the team with 21 RBIs as Wujek, who hit for a cycle against Bradford earlier this year, leads with 99 at-bats, 36 hits, nine doubles and 21 runs scored.