TUCSON, Ariz. – The Allegheny bats stayed hot, as the Gators rode a fast start to a 20-6 victory over Wisconsin-Superior to improve to 4-1 on their spring break trip to the Tucson Invitational Games.
The Gators (6-3) jumped out to a 12-0 lead after two innings, and then cruised down the stretch, as
Kyle O'Connell worked five innings and struck out six to earn the win on the mound, before giving way to
Clay Coon, who threw two scoreless innings of relief with four K's.
The 20 runs were the most in a game for the Gators in over nine years, since a 21-17 slugfest victory over Wentworth Tech on Mar. 17, 2008. In their five spring break contests in Arizona, Allegheny is now averaging an even 14.0 runs per game.
While the Gators out-hit the Yellow Jackets 11-8, the team's offense forced 13 walks, while four different Allegheny batters were hit by a pitch.
Eight different players tallied at least one hit in the win, led by two apiece from
Austin Bristol,
Vincent Carone, and
Patrick Orr. Bristol laced a double and triple, and was one of three Gators to drive in three RBIs, joining Carone and
Ethan Pawlak.
The Gators seized control early, putting up four runs in the top of the first inning.
Robert DiMaggio, who walked, scampered home on a wild pitch to put Allegheny on the board, before
Tyler Wagner and Carone each had run-scoring singles.
After O'Connell escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first, the Gators went right back to work in the visiting half of the second. Thirteen men came to the plate in the inning, as Allegheny scored eight runs. Carone had a two-run single, while Pawlak drove home two with a triple, and Bristol smacked an RBI double.
Allegheny put the game away for good in the top of the fourth, again sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs, with a trio of extra-base hits. Bristol and DiMaggio each smacked doubles, with the latter smacking more than 20 feet high off of the batter's eye in centerfield, before pinch-hitter
Shea Beaumont connected on a line drive home run to the right field corner. Freshman
Keegan Phillips closed out the Gators' scoring in the inning with a pinch-hit, two-run single in his first varsity at-bat to put the Gators in front 20-1.
Superior scored five runs between the fourth and fifth innings, before Coon came on to shut the door and sealed the convincing Gator win with his second scoreless relief outing in as many days.
O'Connell earned his first victory of the season after going five innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits, with six K's. Superior starter Jonah Lundequam took the loss, lasting an inning and a third and allowing 10 runs (five earned) on three hits and six walks.
The Gators will enjoy on off day on Wed. Mar. 22, before returning to the Kino Athletic Complex on Thursday to face Hamline at 4:30 p.m. (eastern).
