CLERMONT, Fla. – The Allegheny softball team picked up its second doubleheader split in as many days, as the Gators topped Washington & Jefferson 8-3 in game one, before falling 8-0 to Clarkson University in the second game.

In the opener, the Gators came back from an early 2-1 deficit by scoring seven runs over the final three innings, while in game two, Allegheny managed just three hits, while Clarkson put the game away with a five-run third inning.

After Wednesday's action, the Gators are now 2-4 during their season-opening stay at the National Training Center Spring Games in Florida.

Game One: Allegheny 8, W&J 3
In the day's first game, the Gators racked a season-best 13 hits, while senior pitcher Caitlin Nealer earned her second complete game win in as many games, striking out six and scattering seven hits.

After two scoreless frames, the Gators jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third.  Jessica Zavolta led off the frame by getting hit with a pitch, before a walk to Belle Mazurik and an Alexis Ryan single loaded the bases with one out.  Nealer then helped her own cause, with her grounder to second bringing home Zavolta and putting the Gators in front.

In the home half of the third, each of the first four President batters reached base, with RBI singles from Jamie Smith and Sadie Marak plating two runs before an out was recorded.  Nealer then bore down, getting three consecutive groundouts to strand a pair of runners and escape without any further damage.

Allegheny answered right back in the top of the fourth.  Allie Landowski, Abrianna Sadler, and Jaricka Simmerman racked three consecutive singles, before Mazurik came through with a one-base hit of her own to bring home two and make it 3-2.   Ryan followed by smacking a double just over the third base bag, bringing home Mazurik and Simmerman and increasing the lead to 5-2.

The Gators manufactured an insurance tally in the top of the fifth.  Sadie Stuart led off with a single, and moved to second on a Taylor Massart sacrifice bunt.  Sadler then reached on an error, moving Stuart to third, before Zavolta smacked a single to right to bring home Stuart and make it 6-3.

W&J scored once in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit to two runs, before the Gators put the game away with two more of their own in the top of the sixth.  Ryan led off with her second double in as many innings, and scored on a Nealer single to push the lead to five runs.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Presidents loaded the bases with two outs, on a walk and a pair of singles, but Nealer induced a game-ending fly out to left to seal the Gator win.

Eight different Allegheny players combined for the team's 13 hits, led by Ryan and Landowski, who each recorded a career-high three hits.  Stuart finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Mazurik went 1-for-3 with a walk, stolen base, run scored, and two RBIs.

Jen Bahm led the way for W&J, recording three of her team's seven hits.  Krista McCartney started in the circle and took the loss, working five innings and allowing six runs on 10 hits.

Game two: Clarkson 8, Allegheny 0
In the day's second game, the Gator offense was unable to continue its success from the opener, managing just three hits, while the Golden Knights recorded seven of their eight hits with runners in scoring position to pull away for the five-inning victory.

Ryan, Nealer, and Hannah Blinn accounted for the Gators' three singles, with Nealer reaching base twice, after also being hit by a pitch.

Gator starter Abrianna Sadler struck out two of the first four batters she faced, before the Golden Knights took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, using a hit batsman, wild pitch, and single to plate the run.

The Golden Knights then did the bulk of their damage in the third, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring five runs on three hits, an error, and a hit batter.
In the Gators' half of the fourth, Ryan led off with a single before Nealer was hit by a pitch, but Clarkson starter Jamie Bridge pitched out of trouble, getting a deep fly out from Stuart followed by a pair of strikeouts to escape the inning unscathed.

Clarkson used a single and a pair of doubles to score its final runs of the day in the bottom of the fourth, and after Blinn led off the fifth with a single, the Gators went down in order to end the game.

Sadler worked 2 1/3 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on three hits, with two strikeouts.  Allison Cabo closed out the game in the circle for Allegheny, throwing the final 1 2/3 innings and striking out three.

After having an off day on Thursday, the Gators return to the diamond on Friday, Mar. 20 for another doubleheader, as they take on Buffalo State at 9 a.m. and Kalamazoo College at 11 a.m.