HIRAM, Ohio – For the second consecutive day, the Allegheny baseball team split a road doubleheader at North Coast Athletic Conference foe Hiram, as the Gators recovered from a 7-6 loss in the opener with a rousing 13-6 victory in the nightcap.
With the split, the Gators clinch their fifth straight 20-win season, as they now stand at 20-12 overall, and 6-6 in the NCAC. Hiram's record moves to 14-15 overall, and 4-8 in the league.
GAME ONE – Hiram 7, Allegheny 6
In a back-and-forth affair, the Terriers found the scoreboard first, as Brandon Gros smacked a one-out triple, and scored on a groundout by Bryan Engdahl.
After stranding a pair of runners in scoring position in the second, the Gators finally broke through in the visiting half of the third inning.
Andrew Dawson led off the frame with a walk, and moved to third on a one-out double by
Jacob Shick. Dawson would eventually score on a sacrifice fly by Robert Dimaggio to tie the game at 1-all.
The Terriers loaded the bases in the home half of the third via two walks and a hit batter, but Gator starter
Jarod Deagan escaped the jam unscathed by inducing an inning ending flyout to center. The Gators weren't as lucky in the fourth, as the Terriers used a single, a walk, and an RBI double from Vince Lonigro to take a 2-1 lead.
Hiram would then add onto the lead in the bottom of the fifth, sending nine men to the plate and scoring four runs on six hits to open up a 6-1 advantage, only to see the Gators answer right back with a big top of the sixth.
Shick opened the frame by drawing a walk, advanced to second, and scored on a one-out single from
Ethan Pawlak. After
Tyler Wagner followed by walking,
Patrick Orr shot a single to left to plate Pawlak and cut the deficit in half, 6-3. Carone would then reach on a ground ball fielder's choice to bring home Wagner, and after singles from Dawson and
Austin Bristol,
Brandon Pouch tied the game with a two-run base hit to center to plate Carone and Bristol.
Hiram quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a one-out solo home run from Engdahl, but the Gators again answered right back in the top of the seventh. DiMaggio was hit by a pitch to open the frame, before Pawlak drew a walk. The tandem each moved up 90 feet on a passed ball, and two batters later, pinch hitter
Cullen Flaherty's ground ball to the right side brought home DiMaggio and tied the game back up at 7-all.
The tie was short-lived, as Hiram again answered right back to take an 8-7 lead after a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly.
This time, Allegheny was unable to counter, as Hiram hurler Justin Joyce pitched around an error and a single to keep the Gators off the board in the eighth, before retiring the side in the ninth to preserve the one-run win.
The Gators totaled eight hits in the opener, paced by Pouch's 2-for-4 effort, while Dawson and Shick each reached base twice with a hit and walk apiece.
Deagan took a no-decision, allowing six runs on eight hits in the first 4.2 innings.
Joe Nagel worked an inning and two-thirds and surrendered a pair of runs to take the loss.
Cy Perry worked the final inning and a third, retiring all four batters he faced.
The Terriers racked 14 hits in the win, and had five players with multi-hit games, led by Lonigro's 3-for-3 effort. Joyce, the third pitcher of the day for Hiram, was credited with the win after allowing no runs on one hit in the final 2.1 innings.
GAME TWO – Allegheny 13, Hiram 6
In the nightcap, 10 different Gators tallied at least one hit, as the Gators earned the split after scoring at least two runs in five different innings.
The visitors first found the scoreboard in the top of the third. Dawson reached on an error to lead off, moved to third on a base-hit bunt from Bristol, and stole home for the team's first run of the game. With two outs, Pouch doubled to the gap in right center, and scored the Gators' second run of the inning when Shick reached on an error.
Allegheny added on in the top of the fourth. Pawlak doubled to start the frame, before a
Chase Davis single put runners at the corners.
Shea Beaumont would walk to load the bases, and Dawson would follow by reaching on a fielder's choice to plate Pawlak and move Davis to third. Bristol would give the Gators their fourth run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center to plate Davis.
After the Gators took advantage of a pair of Hiram errors to add another tally in the top of the sixth and make the lead 5-0, Hiram followed suit in the bottom of the frame to score a pair of unearned runs and make the score 5-2.
Allegheny would then break the game wide open in the top of the seventh, sending 10 men to the plate to score five runs on four hits. Pouch walked and Shick was hit by a pitch to open the frame, before DiMaggio cleared the bases with his fourth home run of the season to put the Gators up 8-2. RBI singles from Beaumont and Flaherty would give Allegheny even more insurance, pushing the lead to 10-2.
Hiram scored a pair of runs, including an unearned tally, in the bottom of the seventh, but the Gators then put the game away with a three spot in the top of the eighth. Davis and Beaumont each picked up sacrifice flies in the inning, while Dawson closed out the scoring with a two-out RBI single.
The Terriers scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little, too late, as the Gators secured the doubleheader split.
All of the offensive support was more than enough for Gator starter
Robert Julian, who earned the win after throwing seven innings and allowing four runs – just one earned – on eight hits, with four strikeouts and just one walk.
DiMaggio and Pawlak led the Gators' 12-hit attack, each going 2-for-4, with DiMaggio driving in three RBIs, and Pawlak scoring three runs. All nine Allegheny starters recorded at least one hit.
Vito Petrillo and Brian Fryda each had three hits to lead the Terriers, while starter Frank Peck took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in four innings of work.
The Gators will return to action on Wednesday, April 26, hosting #25 Mount Union in a single, nine-inning affair at the Robertson Athletic Complex beginning at 4 p.m.
