ERIE, Pa. – The Allegheny College baseball team completed a non-conference season sweep of Penn State-Behrend this afternoon, coming back from an early 3-1 deficit to defeat the Lions, 10-4, from the Behrend Diamond.
Allegheny (12-12, 4-4 NCAC East) picked up its second victory over Penn State-Behrend (19-10, 8-2 AMCC) in 12 days by bashing 15 hits and allowing just one unearned run with a barrage of relievers.
Joe Killian, the reigning North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Player of the Week, put the Gators up early with a one-out single to left that scored
Cullen Flaherty. The visitors had an opportunity to score a second run when
Tyler Wagner followed that up with a base hit, but
Robert DiMaggio was cut down at home.
The Lions battled back with two in the bottom of the first and another run in the second. The hosts used a sacrifice fly and infield single to dent the scoreboard, before putting up their third run with another base hit.
Allegheny chipped away at the deficit with a run in the top of the third. DiMaggio worked a lead-off walk and moved into scoring position on a one-out groundout by Wagner.
Shea Beaumont then continued his hot streak, smacking a single to centerfield to bring home the junior outfielder.
Robert Julian was the first of the Gator relievers to put up a zero as he put up a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth with two flyouts and a strikeout. The visitors then took the lead for good in the top of the fifth with a two-out, two-run single by Flaherty.
Chase Boyer came in to replace Julian and allowed a pair of hits and a walk in two innings of work. The Allegheny offense couldn't provide the junior right-hander with any insurance runs, but it did with
Cy Perry on the mound, who gave up a hit and walk in his two frames of action.
The Gators tacked on two runs in the top of the eighth to make it 6-3. DiMaggio began the stanza with a single, but was retired on a Killian fielder's choice. Wagner was then issued a free pass, setting the wheels in motion for Beaumont. The junior first baseman roped an opposite-field double to score Killian, and Wagner raced home on a
Jacob Shick sacrifice fly.
After Perry's second inning of relief, Allegheny put the game away with four runs in the top of the ninth.
Andrew Dawson brought home
Austin Bristol on an RBI groundout, then DiMaggio's third hit of the afternoon plated Flaherty. Killian followed that up by pulling a double down the line to score DiMaggio, and Beaumont's two-out single gave the Gators double-digits.
Nick DiBucci finished Penn State-Behrend off in the ninth, striking out two while allowing an unearned run on two hits.
Joe Nagel started the game for Allegheny and allowed three runs in three innings of work. Nagel allowed seven hits and walked a batter.
Boyer was credited with the victory, while Kenny Dorn took the loss by allowing two runs in 1.2 frames.
Allegheny returns to conference play this weekend when it hosts Oberlin College for a double-header on Saturday, April 23. This weekend will serve as both a celebration for program alumni and the team's current seniors (
Hayden Smith,
Joe Killian).
