GREENVILLE, Pa. - The Gators jumped out to an early lead and held off a late comeback attempt to earn a 10-8 victory over non-conference rival Thiel.
 
Making his first career start, senior Nick DiBucci earned the win after throwing five innings of three-run ball. The Allegheny (14-16) offense saw eight different players find the hit column, and took advantage of six Thiel errors to plate four unearned runs.
 
The Gators used some timely hitting and took advantage of some Thiel miscues to grab an early lead in the top of the second. After Tyler Wagner was hit by a pitch and Max Sessions singled to open the inning, a bunt attempt from Keegan Phillips was thrown away, bringing Wagner home from second base.  Luke Chutko would then hit into another error, scoring both Sessions and Phillips to put the Gators in front 3-0.  The Gators would add one more run in the inning, with Chutko scampering home from third on a double steal.
 
Thiel countered with a lengthy bottom of the second, cutting its deficit in half with two runs on three hits and two errors, but DiBucci pitched out of the jam by getting an inning-ending double play.
 
Allegheny added on with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth.  With none out, the Gators put runners on first and third with a Brandon Pouch single and Tom Cannon double, before a Wagner sacrifice fly brought home Pouch to make it 5-2.  Cannon moved to third on an infield single from Sessions, before scoring his team's sixth run of the day on an RBI groundout by Phillips.
 
The Tomcats scored a single run with two outs in the top of the fifth to cut the Gator lead to 6-3, before the teams traded zeroes over the next two frames.   In the eighth, the Gators added some much-needed insurance.  Chutko and Ethan Pawlak each singled with one out, before Vincent Carone brought them both home with a one-base hit of his own to make it 8-3.
 
Thiel mounted the comeback trail in the bottom of the eighth, sending eight men to the plate to score four runs on three hits and make it a one-run game, 8-7.  The Tomcats threatened to take the lead in the frame, but Gator reliever Travis Neamon, the team's third hurler in the inning, stranded the bases loaded by getting a pair of pop ups to end the frame.

In the top of the ninth, Allegheny added some breathing room, taking advantage of a pair of errors to regain a three-run lead. With one out, Cullen Flaherty walked, before moving to second on a grounder by Andrew Vincent.  Flaherty promptly stole third and crossed the plate when the ensuing throw sailed into the outfield.  Chase Davis then drew a walk, moved to second on an errant pickoff throw, and scored on Pawlak's infield single to push the Allegheny cushion to 10-7.
 
Thiel scored an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate, but Neamon got a pop up to end the game and seal the victory with his second save of the season.
 
DiBucci allowed three runs and scattered eight hits in the win, taking advantage of three groundball double plays by his defense.  Neamon, the fourth pitcher of the day, worked 1 2/3 innings and allowed one unearned run on just one hit.
 
Pawlak went 2-for-4 with a walk to lead Allegheny's balanced nine-hit attack.  Chutko scored a pair of runs, while Carone tallied two RBIs.
 
Thiel (13-18), which totaled 15 hits in the loss, was led offensively by Alec Varley, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored.  Matt Hulquist took the loss on the mound, working two innings and allowing four runs on five hits.
 
The Gators will return to conference play this weekend, with a noon doubleheader on Saturday, April 28 at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.