CLERMONT, Fla.—The Allegheny College softball continued play at the 2017 Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. Wednesday (March 22).
The Gators fell to ninth-ranked Luther College 8-0 in game one but bounced back with a 2-0 win over UW-Stevens Point in game two.
GAME ONE
The Norse jumped out to a 2-0 in the first inning, and added four more in the third.
With one out in the fourth,
Jessica Gordon reached first via error.
Jessica Valerino followed up with a bunt single down the first base line, putting runners at first and second.
Taylor Massart followed with a single but Luther recorded an out on the play.
Jessica Zavolta singled to right field then to load the bases. However, the Norse got out of the jam to keep the Gators off the board.
In the top of the fifth, the Norse added two more in the fifth and kept the Gators off the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame to pick up the win.
Valerino, Massart and Zavolta provided the hits for the Gators.
Allison Cabo pitched three innings of relief, allowing no earned runs and one hit while striking out four.
GAME TWO
With one out in the top of the first, Zavolta hit the right center fence, going for a double. Valerino followed up with a bloop single towards the second baseman to put runners on the corners. With two outs,
Abrianna Sadler singled to right field, bringing Zavolta home for the first run of the game.
The Gators threated by putting runners in scoring position during the second and sixth inning but left them stranded. In the meantime, the Gator defense led by starting pitcher
Miranda Arison limited the Pointers chances as her field played well behind her, including a great diving stop by right fielder
Maria DiDonato.
In the top of the seventh, the Gators pounced on a pair of errors. With two outs,
Sarah Rogan hit a single to left field. DiDonato then hit into an error, advancing Rogan to third.
Paige Blinkiewicz then hit into an error, which brought Rogan across the plate to increase the lead to two heading into the bottom of the frame.
The Pointers put one on base in the bottom of the seventh but the Gators held tough to keep her from coming across the plate to secure the shutout win.
Arison allowed just four hits while striking out three in the complete game win.
Sadler had a hit and a RBI. Valerino had a pair of hits from the plate. Zavolta and Rogan had a hit and a run apiece while Ramsey had a hit.
The Gators are back in action Thursday (March 23) to face the University of St. Thomas and Lawrence University.
