DELAWARE, Ohio – Behind a gem of a start from
Sean Kealey, the Gators salvaged a split of their weekend series at Ohio Wesleyan with a 5-0 win.
Kealey worked seven shutout innings and allowed just five hits while striking out a career-high 10 batters in improving his record to 4-2 on the season.
Tommy Cannon and
Tyler Wagner each homered, while
Noah Shannon tallied two RBIs, as the Gators moved back to the .500 mark (4-4) in North Coast Athletic Conference play.
The Gators got on the board in the top of the second, as Wagner led off with a single before scoring on Shannon's double to the gap in left center for the early 1-0 lead.
Ohio Wesleyan threatened in the bottom of the third, loading the bases on a pair of singles and a hit batter. However, Kealey escaped the jam by ending the frame with a pair of strikeouts.
Allegheny would then add some insurance in the top of the fourth. Cannon led off the frame with a double to the left field corner, before moving to third on a one-out single from
Ethan Pawlak. Shannon followed with a fly ball to center field that plated Cannon with the Gators' second run of the day.
The two runs were more than enough support for Kealey, who would allow just three more baserunners between the fourth and seventh inning with six strikeouts over the span, including four of the final six batters he would face.
The Gators opened up a 3-0 lead when Cannon led off the sixth with a solo home run to left, his third of the season, before Wagner hit his team-leading fourth round-tripper of the year in the top of the eighth, a two-run shot, to open up a 5-run advantage.
Kealey would give way to
Dalton Donachie to start the eighth inning, and the junior would allow just one hit with two strikeouts over the final two frames to close out the Gators' first shutout in exactly 365 days, a 3-0 home win over Ohio Wesleyan in Meadville on Apr. 14, 2017.
Chris Punka started and took the loss for Ohio Wesleyan (10-14, 4-4 NCAC), working five innings and allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Offensively, Matt Deskins reached base three times with a walk and two of the Bishops' six hits.
Allegheny is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, April 17 with a home doubleheader against NCAC foe Hiram slated to begin at noon at The Robertson Athletic Complex.
