MEADVILLE, Pa. - Both the Allegheny and Kenyon baseball teams used late-game rallies to earn a split in their opening doubleheader of the 2017 North Coast Athletic Conference baseball campaign.

In game one, Allegheny scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come back from a three-run deficit an earn an 8-5 victory.  In game two, it was Kenyon's turn, as the Lords posted six runs in the top of the ninth to win by another 8-5 score.

With the split, the Gators move to 10-6 overall, and 1-1 in the NCAC, while Kenyon is 9-10 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

GAME ONE - Allegheny 8, Kenyon 5
The Gators jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first in the day's opener.  With one out, Austin Bristol singled, before moving up to second on a wild pitch.  He then scored the game's first run on a two-out RBI single from Robert DiMaggio to left field.

Allegheny scored its second run of the day with another two-out base knock in the bottom of the second, as Patrick Orr reached on a fielder's choice, stole second base, and scored on a one-base hit by Cullen Flaherty.

The score remained 2-0 in favor of Allegheny through the middle innings, as Gator starter Corey Keenan retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced, with a trio of strikeouts.  The Lords would finally get to the Gator hurler in the top of the fifth, tying the game with a two-run homer from Alec Manning.  The visitors would continue to threaten in the frame, eventually loading the bases, but Keenan minimized the damage to just the two aforementioned runs by inducing an inning-ending popup.  Kenyon, however, would take the lead an inning later, using a double and a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2 in the top of the sixth. The Lords would then add on in the seventh, as a two-run home run from Phillip Nam put the visitors up 5-2. 

Kenyon starter Jesse Bogacz settled down after the two early Allegheny runs, as he retired 15 of 16 batters he faced between the third and seventh innings, but the Gators would finally get to him in the bottom of the eighth.  Flaherty singled and Bristol doubled to open the frame, but the Lords would then record a pair of quick outs.  With two down, Tyler Wagner walked to load the bases, before Dan Bonnett laced a single to left field to plate Flaherty and Bristol and cut the deficit to 5-4.  Ethan Pawlak followed by drawing a walk after a 10-pitch at bat to again load the bases.  Chase Davis was then called upon to pinch hit, and found himself in an early 0-2 hole.  The junior would eventually work a full count, and on the ninth pitch of his at bat, lined a double to the fence in the gap in right center, clearing the bases to put the Gators back on top 7-5.  Andrew Dawson promptly plated Davis with an RBI single up the middle, giving Allegheny a three-run lead heading into the ninth.

Allegheny reliever Cy Perry promptly retired the first batter he faced, before an error put a Kenyon runner on first.  Perry would promptly induce a 4-6-3 double play to end the game and earn the save.

The Gators totaled nine hits in the win, led by Flaherty, who went 3-for-5, and Bristol, who finished 2-for-4.  Keenan worked the first five innings and took the no-decision, allowing three runs on six hits with three strikeouts.  Freshman Sean Kealey earned the win, allowing two runs on two hits with three K's between the sixth and eighth innings. Perry earned his third save of the year.

Bogacz took the loss for Kenyon, allowing six runs on seven hits, with five strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.  Nam and Matt van Roemer each had two hits for the Lords.

GAME TWO - Kenyon 8, Allegheny 5
As was the case in the opener, the Gators once again struck first, scoring a single tally in the bottom of the first.  With one down, Bristol walked, before Jacob Shick beat out an infield single.  Bristol would then advance 90 feet on a deep fly out by DiMaggio, before crossing the plate after a balk by Kenyon starter Will Oakley.

An RBI single from Kenyon's Mikey Arman tied the game at one in the top of the third, but the Gators countered to regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth.  Davis led off the frame with a single, before scoring on a double off the centerfield fence by Vincent Carone.  A single from Brandon Pouch moved Carone to third base, before Flaherty lofted a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Carone and put the Gators up 3-1.

Arman led off the sixth with a home run to make it a one-run game, but the Gators again answered with a long bottom half of the inning.  With one out, the Gators loaded the bases, as walks to Shick and Davis sandwiched a Pawlak single.  Shea Beaumont then singled to right, bringing home Shick and Pawlak to give Allegheny a 5-2 lead.

The Lords put a pair of runners on base in the top of the seventh, but Gator starter Robert Julian escaped the damage with a pair of pop ups to end the inning.  Julian would depart after working seven strong innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and zero walks, and throwing just 98 pitches.

The Lords threatened in the eighth inning, but Gator reliever Patrick Orr stranded a pair of base runners after notching three punch outs.  In the home half of the eighth, the Gators also looked to add some insurance, as DiMaggio walked and Pawlak doubled, but the score would remain 5-2 after a caught stealing and strikeout would end the threat.

Like Allegheny in the first game, Kenyon would then break the game open with six runs in its final at bat.  In the top of the ninth, the Lords sent 11 men to the plate, scoring six runs on six hits and a pair of walks off of a trio of Gator pitchers to take an 8-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth.  The Gators were unable to counter, as Kenyon reliever Luke Calcei retired all three batters he faced to earn the save.

The Gators tallied just seven hits in the loss, with Pawlak the lone Allegheny player to record multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4.  Perry was saddled with the loss, surrendering two runs in the ninth inning.

Arman and Matt Contreras led the way for Kenyon's offense, each going 3-for-5, as the Lords produced 15 hits.  Dylan Goodwin earned the win, working a scoreless eighth inning, while Calcei's save was his fourth of the year.

The Gators and Lords will now face a quick turnaround, as they wrap up their four-game set with a Monday doubleheader at the Robertson Athletic Complex.  First pitch of game one is slated for 10 a.m.