DELAWARE, Ohio – The Allegheny softball team moved back to the .500 mark in North Coast Athletic Conference play after earning a doubleheader sweep at Ohio Wesleyan. In the opener, the Gators edged the Battling Bishops 3-1, before the Allegheny offense erupted for 24 hits and scored 10 runs in the ninth inning to earn a 15-5 extra-inning victory in the nightcap.
The Gators improve to 7-9 overall and 3-3 in the NCAC, as they kick off a busy week in which they are slated to play three conference twinbills over a six-day span.
Ohio Wesleyan drew first blood in game one, scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. In the top of the second, the Gators threatened, as they loaded the bases with none out, but were unable to plate a run after a double play and a ground out ended the frame.
Allegheny finally broke through in the top of the fourth.
Sadie Stuart doubled and
Jaricka Simmerman singled to start the frame, with Stuart scoring on an
Allie Landowski RBI groundout, and Simmerman crossing the plate after a run-scoring single from
Taylor Massart to go in front 2-1.
The Gators added an insurance run in the top of the sixth. Landowski walked to begin the frame, and gave way to pinch runner
Shannen Segiel, who promptly moved to second after Massart reached on an error.
Hannah Blinn then followed with a single to bring home Segiel and close out the day's scoring.
The Battling Bishops attempted to rally in the bottom of the sixth, with a single and walk putting runners at first and second with one out. However, the Gators'
Caitlin Nealer pitched out of the jam by getting a strikeout and pop up to keep the two-run lead in tact. The senior then retired the Battling Bishops in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory.
Nealer earned her second complete game victory in as many days, allowing just one unearned run on three hits, while striking out five. She also led a Gator offense that produced eight hits by going 3-for-4, with Stuart, Simmerman, Landowski, Massart, and Blinn rounding out the hit column.
In the wild nightcap, the Gators took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the damage could have been greater. With one out,
Alexis Ryan and Nealer hit back-to-back singles, before Stuart was hit by a pitch for a school-record 29th time, loading the bases. Simmerman then singled home Ryan, but the inning came to an abrupt end on a 1-2-3 double play.
The Battling Bishops followed suit in the home half of the first, leading off the inning with a double and a pair of singles to promptly tie the game at 1. Blinn threw a runner out at third on an attempted steal for the first out of the inning, before starter
Miranda Arison got a pop up and strikeout to escape the jam.
After the Gators' first two batters went down quietly in the top of the second,
Jessica Zavolta singled and
Belle Mazurik walked. Ryan's second single in as many innings loaded the bases, before Nealer doubled home Zavolta and Mazurik to give the Gators a 3-1 lead.
The Gators added on to their lead with two more runs in the top of the fourth. Blinn singled to lead off, before Zavolta reached on an error after an attempted sacrifice bunt. A bunt single by Mazurik loaded the bases, and then with one out, Nealer reached on a fielder's choice to score Zavolta and make it 4-1. Stuart then followed with a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Mazurik and give Allegheny a four-run advantage.
Ohio Wesleyan then embarked on the comeback trail, scoring once in the fifth and twice in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-4. Allegheny had chances in both the sixth and seventh innings to put the game away, but combined to strand four runners over the two frames. The Battling Bishops then completed the comeback by scoring an unearned run in the seventh to send the game into extra innings tied 5-5.
After a scoreless eighth, the Gators then erupted for one of their most explosive innings in recent history in the ninth. Allegheny sent 14 batters to the plate, scoring 10 runs on 10 hits and a walk. Zavolta (single, RBI double) and Mazurik (two one-run singles) each had two hits in the frame, while the other RBIs came from a two-run double by Simmerman, a two-run single by Nealer, one-run singles from Ryan and Stuart, and an RBI groundout from Landowski. Overall, all nine Gators reached base and scored at least once in the inning, with Blinn crossing the plate twice.
In the home half of the ninth, the Battling Bishops tallied a single and a walk, but Nealer, on in relief of Arison, closed the door by ending the game with a strikeout and popup.
The Gators racked a season-high 24 hits in the win, marking just the third time the team has amassed the 20-hit plateau since 2000, and the first since a 21-hit effort in 2008 against Oberlin. Nealer again led the way, going 4-for-6 with five RBIs, while six players – Mazurik, Ryan, Stuart, Landowski, Blinn, and Zavolta – finished with three hits apiece. All nine of the Gator starters scored at least one run, with Zavolta and Blinn each crossing the plate three times.
Arison started and threw well, working five innings and allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Nealer came on in relief in the sixth, and threw the final four innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with five strikeouts to earn her second victory of the day.
The Gators will now return to action on Wednesday, April 15, when they travel to NCAC foe Wooster for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader. The squad will then return home for a Thursday double dip with Hiram, before closing out the week on Saturday at NCAC-leading DePauw.
