MEADVILLE, Pa.—The Allegheny College softball team opened the home portion of their 2018 schedule with a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) doubleheader against Hiram College on Wednesday (April 11).
The Gators swept the games, taking the first 7-6 and the second 10-4 (5 innings). With the wins, they approve to 10-9 overall and 4-2 in NCAC play.
Game One – Allegheny 7, Hiram 6
The Gators threatened in the top of the first as
Hayley Behr and
Jessica Zavolta hit back-to-back singles with two outs. However, the Gators were unable to take advantage of the situation.
In the top of the third, the Gators offense got to work.
Maria DiDonato earned a walk to lead the inning off.
Kelly Lafferty then followed up with a RBI double for the game's first run. After
Samantha Valera reached via error,
Hayley Behr singled to shallow left field, bringing Lafferty home for the second run. With Behr on third,
Jessica Gordon hit a sac fly to center field to make it 3-0.
However, the lead was short lived as Hiram scored six runs in the bottom of the frame to take control.
In the fifth, Zavolta earned a one-out walk. Gordon then singled up the middle and the two moved up a base on a wild pitch, but the inning ended on a line drive double play converted by the second baseman.
In the sixth,
Jessica Valerino and DiDonato hit back-to-back singles. Lafferty doubled to left field, scoring
Delaney Harrison-Peters, who pinch ran for Valerino. Valera then singled to right field, scoring DiDonato and Lafferty to tie the game. After a popup, Zavolta singled to left field, bringing Valera home for the go-ahead run.
The Terriers threatened in the bottom of the seventh, but
Victoria Vradenburg shut them down to seal the win, 7-6.
Vradenburg picked up the win, going five innings in relief and allowing six hits and zero runs with four strikeouts.
Lafferty went two-of-three with two runs and two RBI. Valera also had a pair of RBI. Behr and Zavolta each had two hits and a RBI. DIDonato had two hits and two runs.
Game Two – Allegheny 10, Hiram 4 (5 innings)
The Gators got off to a quick start in game two. After Lafferty led-off with a single and moved to second on a Valera sac bunt, Behr homered to left center. Hits by Zavolta and
Kyleigh Cason, followed by a walk to
Rachel Ramsey loaded the bases for Valerino. Valerino hit into an error, which resulted in Zavolta and Cason crossing the plate to make it 4-0.
Lafferty hit a double in the top of the second, and worked her way to third. With two outs, Zavolta hit an infield single which scored Lafferty for the fifth Gator run.
Hiram took advantage of walks in the second inning as they scored four runs to bring the game within one run.
Cason led off the third with a single through the left side. After moving up on a sac bunt and a wild pitch, Valerino brought her home on a groundout to give the Gators a two run gap.
The Gators struck again in the fourth. With two outs, Zavolta earned a walk. Gordon followed up with a single. With Harrison-Peters running for Zavolta, Cason singled to shallow right field for the run.
Valerino was walked to lead off the fifth. Lafferty reached via error, and Valera singled to load the bases. Behr came through once again as a double brought all three home to make it 10-4.
Vradenburg kept the Terriers off the board in the bottom of the fifth to seal the win, as the game was called due to rain and darkness.
Once again, Vradenburg picked up the win in relief, going 3.2 innings, allowing one hit with two strikeouts.
Behr went two-of-four with five RBI. Lafferty had two hits and three runs scored. Cason had three hits and scored twice.
The Gators are back in action Friday (April 13) as they host DePauw University in NCAC play.
