CLERMONT, Fla.—The Allegheny College softball team continued play the 2018 Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. Tuesday (March 20).
 
The Gators fell in a close 2-1 contest against Centre College.  There second game of the day against the University of Wisconsin – Superior was canceled due to weather.
 
The Gators got to work early as Kelly Lafferty led off the game with a double to left field.  Hayley Behr moved her to third with a single up the middle, and she crossed the plate on a Jessica Zavolta RBI.
 
The game remained 1-0 until Centre strung together hits in the to tie the game.  They added one more run in the fourth to move ahead, 2-1. 
 
The Gators threatened again in the fifth as Lafferty and Hayley Behr earned walks, but the Colonels got out of the jam unscathed. 
 
 The Colonels looked to add to their lead in the bottom of the fifth, but starting pitcher Kala Mahen got out of a bases loaded jam to keep the deficit at one.
 
In the top of the sixth, Jessica Valerino hit a single down the right field line.  Rachel Ramsey followed up with a perfectly placed bunt on the left field line which got her to first with one out.  However, Centre was once again able to end the inning unscathed to preserve their lead.
 
The Colonels led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, but catcher Zavolta caught the runner stealing.  Centre managed to put a runner at third with two outs, but Samantha Valera made a great defensive stop at shortstop to keep it a one run game heading into the seventh.
 
Lafferty led off the seventh with her second double of the game, and moved to third on a Valera sac bunt.  However, the Colonels tallied the final two outs to seal the win.
 
Zavolta had the lone RBI for the Gators while Lafferty had two doubles and earned a pair of walks.
 
Mahen allowed two earned runs with a pair of strikeouts in the loss.
 
Allegheny will now return to Florida action Thursday (March 22) as they face Elmhurst College and Manchester University.