MEADVILLE, Pa. - Junior Tommy Cannon stroked a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth, before drawing a bases loaded walk in the 11th inning to lead the Gators to a wild 9-8 comeback victory over Fredonia.

Trailing 6-3 after six innings, 7-4 after eight, and 8-7 heading into the bottom of the 11th, the Gators scored a pair of runs in the 11th, capped off with Cannon's walk-off walk, to earn the win in their 2018 home opener.

Cannon led a Gator offense that racked 14 hits, as he went 4-for-4 with five RBIs, while also drawing a pair of walks, as he reached base safely in all six plate appearances.  The junior was one of five Gators to tally multiple hits in the win, as Noah Shannon went 3-for-3, while Cullen Flaherty, Luke Chutko, and Brandon Pouch all had two hits. 

Sean Kealey, Allegheny's seventh pitcher on the afternoon, earned the win, as he threw the final two innings in relief.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third, when Flaherty smacked a leadoff double, before scoring on a Cannon single to make it 1-0.  

A two-run single from Nicolas Fiore gave the Blue Devils a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth, but the Gators promptly countered in the bottom half.  With one out, Flaherty singled, before Pouch laced an RBI double to the gap in left center. Two batters later, Chutko's sacrifice fly plated Pouch to give the hosts a 3-2 lead.

The lead was short lived, however, as the Blue Devils took advantage of a trio of Gator errors in the top of the sixth to plate four runs and go in front 6-3.  

After going down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings, the Gators got one run back in the bottom of the eighth.  Cannon walked and Tyler Wagner reached on an error, before Shannon singled to load the bases.  Phillips would then follow with a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Cannon and make it 6-4.

Fredonia regained a three-run lead with an unearned run in the top of the ninth, but facing their last at-bats, the Gators came back in a big way. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Flaherty walked, before Pouch was hit by a pitch.  On a 2-1 count, Cannon then connected for a no-doubter over the fence in left center to forge a 7-7 tie.  Allegheny then looked primed to take the lead, loading the bases once again after singles from Chutko and Shannon, and a hard-earned walk after a 12-pitch at bat by Max Sessions.  Fredonia reliever Steve Zaprowski was able to douse the flames, though, getting a pair of groundball outs to keep the game tied and send it into extra innings.

In the top of the 10th, the Blue Devils' Joseph Coene began things with a bloop single, but on the subsequent at-bat, Canon made a running catch of a popped up sacrifice bunt attempt, and doubled off Coene at first.  Kealey would then induce a groundout to end the inning.

Zaprowski struck out the first two Gator batters in the bottom of the 10th, but the hosts would promptly load the bases on a Pouch single, a Cannon double, and a Chutko walk.  Zaprowski would end the threat by getting his third strikeout of the inning to send the game into the 11th.

A pair of walks and a throwing error on a stolen base attempt would give Fredonia an 8-7 lead heading into the bottom of the 11th, but again, the Gators refused to back down when facing their last at bats.  Shannon opened the frame up with his third hit in four innings, an opposite field double, before Phillips and Bret Kelly each walked to load the bases.  After Fredonia hurler Patrick Sheehan recorded back-to-back strikeouts, he hit Pouch with a pitch to plate Shannon with the game-tying run.  Cannon would then work a full count, before drawing another free pass to bring home Phillips with the game-winning run to end the 4-hour, 5-minute affair.

Joe Nagel started on the mound for the Gators and was solid, working into the sixth inning and allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits with one strikeout.  Clay Coon and Nick Tarasi each worked scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Gators.

Daniel Goodbread went 2-for-5 to lead Fredonia's offense, while JT Angora went 1-for-3 with three walks and a run scored.  Eddie Wasnock started and worked four innings, allowing one run on five hits in the no-decision.  Sheehan, the Blue Devils' sixth pitcher of the day, took the loss.

In all, 45 different players appeared in the game between the two teams, while the two squads combined to throw 415 pitches and strand 26 runners in the chilly, four-hour affair that was played in a constant mix of freezing rain and snow showers.

The Gators will now return to action on Saturday, April 14, when they return to conference play with a 12 noon doubleheader at Ohio Wesleyan.

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