Box Score

Junior Robbie Hopes hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Muhlenberg baseball a walkoff 7-6 Centennial Conference win against Dickinson.

The Mules (16-19, 7-8) scored three runs in the bottom of the first and led for most of the game until the Red Devils (18-17, 5-10) went ahead 6-5 with four runs in the top of the eighth.

The score was still 6-5 when Muhlenberg came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. After sophomore Eric Reitmeyer reached on an infield error, freshman Chris Grillo singled over the head of the shortstop to put the go-ahead runs on base. Freshman Matt Glubiak bunted them over to scoring position.

Dickinson walked junior John Icaza intentionally to load the bases, and the strategy seemed to work when the next batter popped out. But Hopes worked the count full, then lined a single to right field to bring in Reitmeyer in Grillo (pictured above) with the tying and winning runs.

After the Red Devils plated an unearned run in the top of the first, Grillo led off the bottom of the inning by getting hit by a pitch. He went to second and third on wild pitches, scoring the tying run when the catcher's throw to third on the second wild pitch went into left field.

Icaza then walked and scored on a booming triple to right field by senior Andrew Rava. Hopes brought in Rava with a sacrifice fly.

The lead stood up thanks to the pitching of senior Tim Hofmann, who allowed only four hits and one earned run through the first seven innings. The Mules tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh when Grillo tripled to the fence in left to score Reitmeyer, who had singled. Glubiak followed with an RBI single.

Junior Christopher Bunero pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth win of the season.

Grillo went 2-for-3, and with his three runs scored he set a school record for freshmen with 35 runs scored on the season. Freshman Stephen Koester also had a pair of hits.

The game continued the tradition of close calls between Muhlenberg and Dickinson. Of the last seven meetings, five were decided by one run and one ended in a tie. 

The walkoff win was the second for the Mules this season.