During two games last week, in which EC went 1-1, Dylan Bellinger '17 recorded three hits in eight at-bats, equaling a .375 batting average. More impressive is the fact that all three of those hits went for extra bases, as the powerful first baseman crushed a solo home run in the first inning of the contest on May 3 against Pennsylvania College of Technology, and then doubled twice in the 6-3 come-from-behind victory over Utica College on Sunday. As a result, his slugging percentage reached a sky-high 1.000.
Bellinger's home run at historic Dunn Field against the Wildcats was his team-leading and career-high-tying fifth of the 2017 campaign, which extended his lead in the all-time record books to 12 career homers. His five long balls are tied for fourth in the Empire 8 Conference. The pair of two-baggers he walloped against the Pioneers raised his season total to 12, seventh-most in the conference. The local product from nearby Thomas A. Edison High School also sits among the E8's leaders in slugging percentage, ranking fifth at .609.
On the season, Bellinger – one of only two players to start all 31 games – leads the EC squad with a .364 batting average and 26 RBIs, while his 40 hits and 22 runs scored are tied for the team lead.
