MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny softball team ran its winning streak to four games after a home sweep of visiting Alfred State in non-conference action at the Robertson Athletic Complex.
In the opener, the Gators (14-11) rode a hot start to cruise to a 17-3, five-inning victory, before Baylee Tarnowski authored a complete game shutout in the nightcap, a 2-0 Gator win.

GAME ONE – ALLEGHENY 17, ALFRED STATE 3
Allegheny jumped out to a big first inning lead and never looked back, as they cruised to the 17-3 game one victory over the Pioneers.

In the bottom of the first, the Gators sent 12 batters to the plate in producing nine runs on four hits, three walks, and a hit batter.  Kelly Lafferty and Jessica Gordon drew back-to-back walks to open the frame, before Hayley Behr reached on an error to load the bases. Jessica Zavolta singled home Lafferty, before Kyleigh Cason was hit by a pitch to force home Gordon with the second run of the frame.  A Jessica Valerino double to the left field corner plated two more runs, while Samantha Valera's RBI ground out then pushed the Gator lead to 6-0.  The Gators would then load the bases once again on a Rachel Ramsey single, another walk to Lafferty, and a misplayed ground ball by Gordon, before Behr's double to the fence in center upped the lead to 9-0.

Allegheny went right back to work in the bottom of the second, sending 10 batters to the plate in scoring nine more runs. Valerino produced an RBI single and Ramsey an RBI groundout, before Behr produced the game's big blast, a grand slam home run inside the left field foul pole to give Allegheny a commanding 16-0 lead.

An RBI double from Shannon Putnam in the bottom of the fourth produced the Gators' final run of the game.  Alfred State produced the final three runs of the game in the top of the fifth, using a walk, single, double, and error to cut into the Gator lead, but Gator reliever Brittany Kittle ended the threat with a ground ball out to close out the abbreviated five-inning win.

Seven different players accounted for the Gators' 10 hits in the victory.  Valerino finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Behr went 2-for-3 with a career-high six RBIs, the second-most in a game in program history, and the most since current assistant coach Stephanie Fort '13 drove in seven in a 2012 victory over Washington & Jefferson.

Victoria Vradenburg started and was nearly perfect for the Gators in two innings of work, allowing just one hit, before giving way to Kittle, who threw the final three frames to seal the win.

GAME TWO – ALLEGHENY 2, ALFRED STATE 0
While the opener featured a prolific performance by the Allegheny offense, game two was highlighted by a stellar pitching performance from Tarnowski, who earned her second complete game shutout of the season.

The Gator offense looked to get off to another hot start in the bottom of the first, as they loaded the bases with two outs, as a Zavolta single was sandwiched by hit-by-pitches from Cason and Behr, but the Pioneers escaped the threat.

After Tarnowski stranded a pair of Alfred State runners in the top of the third, the Gators finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom half. With one out, Zavolta singled, before Cason was hit by a pitch for the fourth time in the doubleheader.  Valerino continued her stellar day at the plate by lashing a double to the fence in the right center gap to clear the bases and put the Gators up 2-0.

Following the Valerino two-bagger, the Gator offense went silent for the rest of the way, as Alfred State hurler Jordan Leonard retired 11 of the final 12 Allegheny batters of the game.  Tarnowski, however, was just as sharp, and continued to keep the Pioneers at bay for the rest of the contest.

Alfred State's biggest offensive threat came in the top of the fourth, as the Pioneers managed a pair of baserunners, but Tarnowski would escape the harm by ending the inning with a fly out to center field.  From there, the Gator junior allowed just two more runners over the final three frames to seal the win.

Zavolta tallied two of the Gators' five hits in the game two victory, with the other three coming from Valerino, Ramsey, and Maria DiDonato.

Tarnowski allowed just five hits and one walk over the seven inning masterpiece, while striking out four.

The Gators will now have a quick turnaround before returning to action on Sunday, April 22, as they host Ohio Wesleyan in a pivotal North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader at The Robertson Athletic Complex.  The two squads are virtually tied for fourth in the NCAC, with the Gators bringing a 6-4 conference record into the twinbill, and the Battling Bishops 5-3.  First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.