BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Allegheny softball team split with Geneva in its first doubleheader north of the state of Florida, as the Gators earned a 9-7 comeback win in the opener, before the host Golden Tornadoes exacted revenge in the nightcap by scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth to post a 4-3 victory.

With the split, Allegheny sees its record move to 5-9, while the Golden Tornadoes now sit at 11-7 on the season.

GAME ONE – Allegheny 9, Geneva 7
The Gators got the day off to a rousing start, as they opened up a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Paige Blinkiewicz led off with a single, and after moving to third on a walk to Jessica Zavolta, she crossed the plate on a two-out RBI single by Abrianna Sadler.

The Golden Tornadoes used a similar formula to tie the game with a single run in the bottom of the first, but the Gators quickly regained the advantage in the top of the second. Kaitlyn Campbell and Rachel Ramsey hit back-to-back singles to open the frame, before Campbell scored two batters later on an RBI groundout from Blinkiewicz.

The back-and-forth theme continued, as Geneva posted a single tally in the bottom of the third to tie it at 2-2, but the Gators looked to break the game open with a four spot in the top of the fourth.  Allegheny sent eight batters to the plate, and used three hits and two walks to take a 6-2 lead.  Zavolta and Jessica Valerino each had RBI singles in the inning, while Sadler brought home a pair of runs after reaching on a fielder's choice.

The Gators would then up the lead to 7-2 in the visiting half of the fifth inning, with a two-out single from Blinkiewicz bringing home Ramsey who drew a walk with one down.

Geneva would answer back, scoring five times over the next two innings, using a three-run home run by Casey Farkosovsky in the fifth and a two-run shot from Clara Sevey in the sixth to forge a 7-7 tie.

Allegheny answered by mounting the game-winning rally in its last at bats in the top of the seventh.     Ramsey led off the inning with a single, before moving up 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt from Maria DiDonato.  Blinkiewicz and Jessica Gordon would each draw walks to load the bases, before Zavolta also drew a free pass to bring home Ramsey and make it 8-7. Valerino then gave her squad some insurance with a sacrifice fly to score Blinkiewicz.

In the bottom of the seventh, Gator reliever Kala Mahen retired the Golden Tornadoes in order, capped off with a game-ending strikeout, to seal the victory.

Eight different Gators recorded at least one hit in the win, as Allegheny owned an 11-9 advantage in the hit column.  Blinkiewicz, Sadler, and Ramsey each had two hits apiece,  while Blinkiewicz scored a trio of runs, and Sadler posted three RBIs.

Mahen earned the win in the circle, throwing the final 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter Allison Cabo.

GAME TWO – Geneva 4, Allegheny 3
As was the case in the opener, the nightcap between the Golden Tornadoes and Gators was also a back-and-forth battle.

The Golden Tornadoes found the scoreboard first, using an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead.

Allegheny looked primed to tie it in the top of the second as they loaded the bases with one out after walks to Taylor Massart and Valerino, and a single from Campbell, but Geneva pitcher Farkosovsky was able to escape the jam unscathed.

The Gators finally were able to break through in the top of the third. Blinkiewicz singled and Gordon reached on an error to open the frame, before Zavolta brought home Blinkiewicz with a double to tie the game at 1-all.  After Gordon scored on a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly from Sadler gave the Gators a 3-1 advantage.

Geneva cut the deficit to one with a single tally in the fifth, before breaking through for a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, with Laura Innocenzi plating the eventual game winner with a one-out RBI single.

After the third inning rally, however, the Gator offense cooled off, as the squad managed just two more base runners on the day, with a fourth inning single from Ramsey and a seventh inning walk to Gordon. 

Though the Gators struck out just three times in the loss, the squad managed only four hits off of Farkosovsky, who earned the complete game win.

The Gators will now face a quick turnaround, as they are slated to play their second non-conference twinbill in as many days when they make the short trip to Greenville, Pa. to face off against Thiel in a Thursday doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.