MEADVILLE, Pa. - A persistent running game and a strong defense lifted visiting Ohio Wesleyan to a 24-0 victory over the Gators at Frank B. Fuhrer Field.

The Battling Bishops (5-4, 5-3 NCAC) amassed 270 rushing yards, while limiting Allegheny (1-8, 1-7 NCAC) to just 189 yards of total offense and forcing two Gator turnovers. 

After receiving the opening kickoff, the Gators quickly gave the ball right back to the Battling Bishops on a fumble on the second play from scrimmage.  Ohio Wesleyan quickly made the Gators pay for the miscue, as on the first play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Dominick Orsini scored from 19 yards out on a keeper to make it 7-0 just 38 seconds into play.

Following the quick strike, the Gators went to work and pieced together a strong drive, with Tyler Balla running four times for 27 yards, and Brandon Sellers adding an 11-yard run, to advance the ball to the OWU 18.  The trip would stall out, however, as incompletions on third and fourth down gave the ball back to the visitors.  The Gator defense responded by forcing an OWU punt, and Allegheny again opened up its next drive by successfully moving the ball.  A 21-yard run from Balla and an eight-yard dash from Sellers gave the Gators first down at midfield,  Two plays later, quarterback Logan Lee completed an eight-yard pass to Ben Bachik, setting up fourth-and-inches at the OWU 38, before Sellers rumbled through the line to pick up the first down.  On the next play, Lee lofted a bomb deep down the sideline, but it was picked off by OWU's Torrii Hilbert at the seven and returned to the Gators' 30 to thwart the scoring threat.

The Battling Bishops then went to the ground to up their lead in the closing moments of the first quarter, using a five-play, 70-yard drive, capped off by a 16-yard touchdown run from Alex Barrett, to make the score 14-0 with seconds remaining in the quarter.

Neither team found the scoreboard in a quick-moving second quarter.  After the Gators punted on their opening possession of the quarter, the Battling Bishops quickly advanced down the field, using four plays to set up a first down at the Gator 15.  Allegheny's defense then came up with a big play, as Adrian Garcia intercepted an Orsini pass in the end zone to prevent the Bishops from upping their lead.  The teams would trade punts over the next four possessions, before Garcia again stopped a Battling Bishop scoring threat.  With 5:23 remaining, Orsini completed a pass over the middle to Cheyne Lacanaria, who was hit immediately by Garcia, knocking the ball loose.  The Gators' Jon Scroxton pounced on the fumble to give the Gators the ball back at their own 35 with just over five minutes left in the quarter.  The Gators couldn't convert on the miscue, however, and the half would end with Allegheny trailing 14-0.

Ohio Wesleyan received the kick to start the second half, and advanced briskly down the field, earning a first-and-goal at the seven after a 25-yard Orsini run and a 29-yard completion.  After the first down pass was incomplete, the Gators' stuffed a pair of runs, forcing the Battling Bishops to settle for a 20-yard field goal to make the score 17-0 with 11 minutes remaining in the quarter.

After another Gator punt, the Battling Bishops went back to work, and used a lengthy 13-play drive that spanned seven minutes to take a 24-0 lead on a five-yard touchdown pass from Orsini to Tyler DiVitis in the closing minutes of the thrid quarter.

Over the decisive third stanza, Ohio Wesleyan held the ball for over 11 minutes, and gained 167 yards while converting four of five third downs.

In a scoreless fourth quarter, the Gator defense limited the Battling Bishops to just one first down and 34 yards on 14 plays, but the host's offense was unable to get on track, with all four fourth quarter possessions resulting in punts.

For the game, Ohio Wesleyan out-gained the Gators 408-189 in total offense, led by Orsini, who ran for a game-high 144 yards, while also completing 17 passes for 138 yards. Barrett added 89 yards on 14 totes. 

Balla led the Allegheny offense, gaining 63 yards on 14 carries, while Lee completed 13 passes for 115 yards.  John McFarland was his favorite target, as the tight end hauled in six grabs for 53 yards.

Defensively, Miles Oladimeji led both sides with a career-high 11 tackles, including a half tackle for loss, while Wyatt Boyler made nine tackles.  Garcia finished with six tackles to go with the interception and forced fumble, while Ben Capella, Freddy Ruiz, and David Perez were each credited with five tackles.  Capella broke up a pair of passes, while Ruiz tallied the Gators' lone sack, a three-yard loss that ended the second quarter.

Gary Brodek led the OWU defense with 12 tackles, while he tallied four of the Battling Bishops' six sacks.  

The Gators will now close out the 2016 campaign next Saturday, Nov. 12, hosting NCAC co-leader Wittenberg at 1 p.m. on Senior Day at Frank B. Fuhrer Field.  Prior to the game, the team's 13 seniors will be honored for their four-year careers in the Blue and Gold.