TUCSON, Ariz. – The Allegheny baseball team used two ninth inning rallies to earn a pair of victories at the Tucson Invitational Games at Kino Park.
 
In the opener, senior Jacob Shick smacked a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to cap off a five-run inning and give the Gators a 12-11 walk-off win.  In game two, Wisconsin-Superior scored seven runs over the seventh and eighth innings to take a 13-12 lead into the ninth, only to see Allegheny again put up a five spot in its final at bats to earn a 17-13 comeback victory.
 
GAME ONE: Allegheny 12, Carthage 11
 
The late-game rally capped off by Shick's heroics was the Gators' second comeback in the back-and-forth affair with the Reds, as Carthage jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three frames, only to see the Gators bounce back in a big way.
 
The Gators mustered baserunners in three of the first four innings, but were unable to come up with the big hit.  Allegheny finally broke through in the home half of the fifth inning.  Vincent Carone worked a walk to lead off the frame, before moving to third on Ethan Pawlak's double to the left-center gap. A walk to Cullen Flaherty loaded the bases, before Austin Bristol reached on an error with one out to plate Carone with the Gators' first run.  Shick followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Bristol and trim the gap to 3-2.
 
An inning later, each of the Gators' first three batters reached, with Tyler Wagner singling, Noah Shannon drawing a walk, and Patrick Orr getting hit by a pitch.  With one out, Pawlak brought home Wagner with an RBI groundout to tie the game, before Flaherty laced a line drive single to left to bring home two and put the Gators up 5-3.
 
Carthage plated an unearned run in the top of the seventh, before regaining a 6-5 lead in the eighth on a two-run home run by Matt Rave. 
 
The Gators jumped back on top with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth.  Orr and Carone led off with back-to-back singles, and each moved up 90 feet on a Pawlak bunt.  Flaherty was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, before Bristol brought home Orr and Carone with a single to left, pushing Allegheny in front 7-5 heading into the ninth.
 
The Reds quickly cut into the lead, as Cody Phelps led off the top of the ninth with a home run to left field to make it a one-run game. After a pair of quick groundouts, Carthage loaded the bases, with a single sandwiched in between a pair of free passes.  Ryan Rodgers then connected on the Reds' second long ball of the inning, with the grand slam pushing his squad to an 11-7 lead.
 
Wagner kickstarted the eventual game-winning rally for the Gators in the bottom of the ninth, as he racked a leadoff double off the fence.. After a lineout, Orr reached on an error, before Carone was hit by a pitch to load the bags, setting the stage for Shick's aforementioned heroics.
 
The late inning offense overshadowed a stellar performance by starting pitcher Corey Keenan.  The veteran righty went seven innings and allowed just two runs and four hits, striking out six against just two walks. 
 
Freshman Jarod Deagan, the Gators' fourth pitcher of the day, was credited with his first collegiate win, retiring the lone batter he faced to end the top of the ninth.
Allegheny totaled 14 hits, led by Flaherty's career-best 4-for-4 showing.  Shick, Pawlak, and Tyler Wagner each posted two hits, while Bristol paced the team with four RBIs.
 
Carthage rapped 10 hits in the game, with Rodgers, Phelps, and Jordan Weigold totaling two apiece.
 
GAME TWO – Allegheny 17, Wisconsin-Superior 13
 
In another game heavy with offense, the Gators again came back from a pair of deficits to outslug Wisconsin-Superior 17-13.
 
The Gators scored eight runs over the final two innings of the game, and again put up a five-spot in the decisive ninth inning to earn the victory.
 
Allegheny picked up right where it left off from the Carthage win to open up the Superior contest, as the Gators jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Flaherty walked to start the game, before moving up two bases on an errant pickoff attempt.  Bristol promptly drove him home with an RBI groundout to produce the game's first tally.
 
The next four batters would reach safely, with Wagner and Noah Shannon each producing RBI singles, before Brandon Pouch came through with another run-scoring groundout to make it 4-0.
 
The Yellow Jackets answered right back, scoring a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first, before adding four more tallies in the second to seize a 6-4 lead. 
 
The Gators broke through for three runs in the top of the fifth inning.  Shick, Robert DiMaggio, and Wagner led off with consecutive singles. Shick came around on Wagner's knock, before a pair of runs came home on Pouch's single to center. 
 
Allegheny added two more in the top of the sixth, with Shick tallying an RBI single, and DiMaggio a run-scoring triple to straightaway centerfield to make the score 9-6.
 
Superior answered with a pair of runs in the seventh to make it a one-run game, before they erupted with a five-spot in the bottom of the eighth, with the big blow a bases-loaded double to the right field corner from Braeden Barr, sending the game into the ninth with the Yellow Jackets leading 13-12.
 
Pinch hitter Dan Bonnett led off the top of the ninth with a double off the top of the fence in left center, giving way to pinch-runner Keegan Phillips.  Pawlak walked, before Flaherty put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to give the Gators runners at second and third.  Phillips alertly scampered home on a wild pitch to tie the game at 13, before Bristol brought home Pawlak with a single to give the Gators back a 14-13 lead.  Shick then reached on an error, before Wagner singled home Shick and Bristol.  Andrew Dawson put an exclamation point on the rally with a triple to fence in centerfield, bringing home Wagner and giving the Gators a 17-13 lead.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, the Yellow Jackets threatened, loading the bases with one out.  Orr, pitching in relief, would then bear down to record a strikeout and a groundout at first base to close out the win.
 
In addition to the 30 runs, the two teams combined for 38 hits in a game that spanned four hours.  All nine Allegheny position starters tallied at least one hit, led by Wagner, who went 4-for-6 with six RBIs and four runs scored.  Shick finished 3-for-4 with five runs scored, while DiMaggio and Pouch each produced two hits.
 
Barr, who took the loss on the mound for the Yellow Jackets (0-1), led his team offensively, going 3-for-6 with four RBIs, while Nik Mattson went 5-for-5.
 
Orr earned the win on the mound, working 1.2 innings and allowed no runs on two hits with three K's.  Deagen worked admirably in relief of starter Joe Nagel, as he threw 4.2 innings and allowed just two runs (one earned) with three strikeouts.  A total of four pitchers toed the rubber in the contest.
 
The Gators will continue their spring break foray in Arizona with another doubleheader on Monday.  Allegheny faces Luther at 1 p.m. EST, followed immediately by a nine-inning tilt with Hamline.