NILES, Ohio – Holding late leads in both games, the Gators were unable to close the door on a stingy Wooster offense, dropping a pair of one-run North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) contests on Monday afternoon at Edgewood Field.  Allegheny fell, 12-11, in game one before a 7-6 setback in 12 innings during the nightcap.

GAME ONE

Junior Joe Killian anchored the Gator effort in game one, batting 3-for-3 in the cleanup spot while driving in a team-high three runs.  Sophomore Robert DiMaggio impressed with a 2-for-3 performance, scoring a pair of runs for the Gators, as classmate Jacob Shick went 2-for-4 with a run driven in.  Senior Adam Bronson, junior Matt Sardini and first year Dan Bonnett drove in the remaining runs for the Blue and Gold. 

Sophomore Zach Hale entered the contest during Wooster's 10-run sixth, quieting the Fighting Scot bats with 1.1 innings of two-hit work, striking out three of the four batters he faced, giving the Gators the opening they needed to attempt the late comeback.

After Wooster plated a run in the top of the first, the Gators came out of the gate red-hot.  Bonnett launched the fourth pitch of his first at bat over the center fielder's head, landing just shy of the 375-foot mark in right center for a lead-off double.  With two outs, Killian continued his momentum from Sunday's doubleheader, lacing a single through the left side that scored Bonnett, tying the game in the opening frame.

Three consecutive singles by Murray, DiMaggio and Sardini gave the Gators a 2-1 lead, as Allegheny was able to plate three additional runs on a pair of Wooster errors to push the lead to 5-1.  In the third, DiMaggio scored the Gators' sixth-run of the ball game on a delay steal with two outs, as sophomore Patrick Orr was able to evade the run down long enough to score DiMaggio and increase the Allegheny lead to five runs.

Wooster threatened in the fourth inning by placing runners on second and third with one out, but Julian worked out of the inning by forcing a pair of fly outs.  The Fighting Scots, however, made their comeback bid in the top of the sixth.  With assistance from four walks and two hit batters from the Gator hurlers, Wooster was able to plate 10 runs in the top of the sixth, taking an 11-6 advantage.

Allegheny responded to the big inning by the Fighting Scots with a rally of their own in the bottom of the frame.  Sophomore Kyle Emerson forced a walk on a 3-2 pitch, as sophomore pinch runner Andrew Dawson moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, crossing the plate on a single to right by Bronson. 

A single by Gray pushed runners to second and third, as a single up the middle by Killian scored Gray and Bronson to bring the Gators to within two runs.  Shick made the thriller a one-run game with a double down the left field line, ending the scoring for the Gators, who tacked on four runs on four hits to send Wooster into the seventh with an 11-10 lead.

Wooster tacked on a crucial insurance run in the top of the seventh, which ended up being the difference in the game. DiMaggio scalded a double down the right field line to start off the inning, moving to third on a single by Dawson then scoring on a single through the right side by Bonnett.  With the tying run in scoring position and the winning run on first the Fighting Scots clinched the win with a game-ending double play.

GAME TWO

Senior Zach Gray drove in a pair of runs, batting 2-for-5, to lead the Gators offensively, but the Gators saw a 5-0 lead in the third inning slowly evaporate, as Wooster plated five unanswered runs en route to the 7-6 extra-inning win in game two of Monday's action.

Sardini, DiMaggio and Murray picked up two hits each, as Murray, Sardini and Shick each drove in a run.  Sophomore Corey Keenan pitched five innings of work in his start for the Gators, only allowing three hits while striking out four batters, holding the Fighting Scots without a hit for the first four innings of the ballgame.

Bonnett led off the game with a ground-rule double to right field, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Shick.  The Gators scored their second run of the ball game with a single to left by Murray that scored Bronson, who walked after Bonnett's double, giving the Gators a 2-0 lead.  In the second, a leadoff single through the left side by DiMaggio resulted in the Gators scoring their third run after a single to left by Gray plated DiMaggio with two outs in the second.

The early hit parade continued for the Blue and Gold in the third, as a leadoff single by Murray and one-out single by DiMaggio put a pair of runners aboard.  Sardini cracked a double down the left field line, scoring Murray before a deep sacrifice fly to right field brought home DiMaggio for a 5-0 lead.  After Wooster picked up a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, Allegheny struck in the bottom of the frame after a single by Gray brought home Sardini, who reached base on an error earlier in the inning.

Wooster began the rally in the top of the seventh, scoring a run before tying the game in the ninth inning with three runs on three hits and one error from the Gators to send the game into extras tied, 6-6.  The Gators threatened by putting Bronson in scoring position in the 10th, but the Fighting Scots were able to escape,  retire the Gators in order in the 11th, then plate the eventual game-winning run in the top of the 12th.  Allegheny had one final chance to push the game further into extras, but Wooster retired the Gators in order in the bottom of the 12th to clinch the Monday sweep.

Allegheny will next look to kick off the 2015 home slate on Wednesday, April 1st at 4 p.m. against John Carroll at Robertson Field.