ALLIANCE, Ohio – In a non-conference contest that would fully describe the word
slugfest, the Allegheny College baseball team outlasted the University of Mount Union with a 19-17 victory this afternoon from 23rd Street Field.
Allegheny (17-12, 8-4 NCAC) tallied its most runs in a game since April 12, 2008 by bashing 22 hits, with nine of them being of the extra-base variety. On that aforementioned date, the Gators defeated Hiram, 19-3, in the second game of a doubleheader after knocking off the Terriers, 19-6, in the opener.
The visitors jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first as
Dan Bonnett crushed a bases-clearing, three-run double to center, followed by a
Jacob Shick RBI triple to left. Mount Union (16-17, 6-8 OAC) responded with three runs in the bottom half and added two in second inning to take a 5-4 advantage.
Shick led the way in the top of the third, lining another three-bagger to left that scored Bonnett and
Robert DiMaggio. The junior then crossed home with a
Shea Beaumont RBI single, and in the top of the fourth, DiMaggio made it 7-5 when he scored on a
Joe Killian steal of second.
The Purple Raiders responded with a six-run bottom half to grab an 11-8 edge.
Allegheny cut the deficit to one in the top of the fifth with a RBI infield base hit by Bristol and a double down the line by DiMaggio. Mount Union regained that run with a Gators error, but as the theme of the game, that advantage didn't last long.
Three runs in the top of the sixth pushed Allegheny ahead once again, 13-12. Unlike the other frames, this one was a little more unconventional as the runs were generated from a fielder's choice, walk, and double play.
The hosts continued to battle, scoring two in the bottom half to regain a lead at 14-13.
Two more crooked numbers of three put the Gators ahead for good in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh,
Ethan Pawlak tied the game with a RBI groundout before Shick continued his recent tear by smacking a double that scored Killian. Beaumont added a hit for good measure, going the other way with a single that scored the junior infielder.
In the eighth inning, DiMaggio scored
Cullen Flaherty with a base hit and then rounded the bases on the second homerun of Pawlak's career. Meanwhile,
Clay Coon garnered just the third appearance of his career going into the sixth and rewarded the coaching staff with three innings of shutout ball.
Coon returned to the mound in the ninth as Mount Union began to mount a comeback attempt. The sophomore southpaw was greeted with a two-run homerun to make it 19-16, but generated a groundout after that. Coon allowed a walk and single, forcing another pitching change.
Travis Neamon entered the game and retired the first batter he faced on a fielder's choice, but a RBI base hit and walk loaded the bases. Neamon then was pulled in favor of
Joe Nagel, and the freshman delivered in a big spot, striking out Johnny Thombs to seal the victory.
Shick's pair of triples tied the single-game school record shared with four other players, most recently being Eric Hansen against Union (N.Y.) on March 18, 2012.
With a 2-for-5 performance, Killian became the second player in program history to reach the 200-hit plateau. Killian is now 17 shy of breaking Ben Couch's program standard of 216, set between 1998-01.
Both Shick and DiMaggio were a hit shy of tying the single-game school record, held solely by Hector Urena against Oberlin on April 21, 2002.
The 36 combined runs were the most in a contest featuring Allegheny since March 15, 2008 when the Gators defeated Wentworth Tech, 21-17, in Port Charlotte, Florida.
Coon was credited with a win after finishing the game with three hits, a walk, and three runs allowed in 3.1 innings of work. Nagel's punchout of Thombs earned him the save.
Allegheny is scheduled to return to North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) on Saturday, April 30 as it closes the regular-season with a four-game set at Kenyon College.
