Box Score CLERMONT, Fla. - Allegheny racked a season-high 14 hits, but Luther College, ranked seventh in the most recent NFCA Top 25, scored five runs over the final two innings to extend its winning streak to 19 games with a 10-5 victory over the Gators in the opening game of a doubleheader on their final day at the National Training Center Games.

With the loss, Allegheny falls to 3-6 on the season as it enters the final game of the spring break trip, a 2 p.m. tilt against Keene State.

Allegheny got off to a hot start in the day's opening game, as the bats erupted for four runs on five hits in the bottom of the first inning.  After Alexis Ryan hit a one-out single, Caitlin Nealer and Sadie Stuart each doubled on back-to-back pitches to put the Gators in front 2-0.   Allie Landowski followed by a single, and after Taylor Massart was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Adrianna Sadler reached on an infield single that plated Stuart and made the score 3-0.  Two batters later, Jessica Zavolta smacked a sacrifice fly to left field that brought home Landowski and closed the inning's scoring.

Luther threatened to cut into the Gator lead over the next two innings, but Nealer, the Gators' starting pitcher, twice escaped from bases loaded jams without ceding a run.

The Gators scratched out a ffith run in the bottom of the third.  Landowski led off with her second single of the game, and pinch runner Shannen Segiel moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Massart.   Sadler followed by reaching on an error, putting runners at first and third, before rookie Jarricka Simmerman socked a two-strike single to center field to plate Segiel and make it 5-0.

Luther then charged back in a big way in the visiting half of the fourth, as they made up for their early game struggled with runners in scoring position in a big way.  The Norse saw each of its first five hitters reach base, on an error and three singles, to score three runs before recording an out.  The Gators then recorded two outs, but a double then brought home two more runs and tied the game at 5-all.

Though Allegheny put two baserunners on in each of the next two innings, they were unable to pull ahead.  The Norse would take a 7-5 lead after two runs in the top of the sixth, before closing out the comeback win with a three spot in the top of the seventh.  

Eight different players had at least one hit for the Gators in defeat.  Stuart led the way, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs, and a run scored.  Nealer also belted two doubles, while Landowski, Simmerman, and Sadler each went 2-for-4 at the dish.

Nealer went the distance in the circle for Allegheny and was saddled with the loss, despite striking out a season-best 10 batters.  It marked the 16th time in the senior's career in which she reached double-figures in K's.

Hillary Pennington led Luther's 14-hit attack, going 4-for-5 with thee runs scored.  Topanga Skiles earned the win in the cricle after working 4 1/3 innings of relief, while Amada Witzlib closed out the final 1 2/3 innings for the save.

Following the Gators' Florida finale against Keene State, Allegheny is scheduled to return to action on Wed. Mar 25, making the short trek to Grove City to take on the Wolverines in a 3:30 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.