CLERMONT, Fla.—The Allegheny College softball team split their third doubleheader to start the 2019 season on Tuesday (March 19) in Clermont, Fla.
 
The Gators fell to Hope 12-2 in game one before bouncing back with an 11-6 win in their second game of the day against Ripon.
 
Game One – Hope 12, Allegheny 2
 
Hope got on the board in the top of the first.  After putting a runner on first via error, they drove a single through the left side to put a runner in scoring position.  With two outs, Morgann Kanouse brought the runners home on a double. 
 
The Gators cut the lead in half in the bottom of the frame.  Samantha Valera hit her first career home run, sending it sailing over the left field fence to bring the game to 2-1.
 
The Flying Dutch threatened in the second with a leadoff double, but the Gators were able to catch the runner at third in a fielder's choice to keep the score at 2-1.
 
In the third, Hope increased their lead to one when Kanouse drove in her third run of the afternoon.
 
The Gators made the run up in the bottom of the frame.  Kelly Lafferty doubled off the left field wall.  Hayley Behr then brought her around from second to make it 3-2 Hope.
 
However, Hope would take over from there, scoring three runs in the fourth and six in the sixth as they picked up a five-inning 12-2 win.
 
Valera had two hits on the day, including the homerun.  Paige Ziggas went two-for-two while Lafferty and Behr also recorded hits.
 
Game Two – Allegheny 11, Ripon 6
 
Ziggas doubled in the top of the first.  With two outs, Behr belted her third homerun of the season as the Gators jumped out to a 2-0 lead.  However, the lead was short lived as Taylor Natzke hit a two RBI single in the bottom of the frame to tie it up.
 
Maria DiDonato hit a one-out single in the second inning.  After stealing second base, Lafferty moved her to third on a single.  Ziggas followed with an infield single, scoring DiDonato to put the Gators back in front.  During the next at-bat, Ziggas created a rundown between first and second, which allowed Lafferty to advance home for the Gators' fourth run. 
 
The Gators added onto their lead in the third.  Emily Cramer reached first via error with one out.  Delaney Harrison-Peters followed up with a single to put runners at first and second.  Shannon Putnam laid down a sac bunt, but an error allowed her to reach safely and for Cramer to score to make it 5-2.  With two outs, Lafferty singled, bringing Harrison-Peters home for the sixth run. 
 
In the fourth, Valera earned a walk to lead-off the inning.  She moved to second on a wild pitch, then third on a Kyleigh Cason sac bunt.  Cramer hit into an error, which brought Valera home to make it 7-2.
 
The Red Hawks made up some ground in the bottom of the frame.  After a runner was put on by an error, a single to left field scored a run to make it 7-3.
 
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Gators added three runs in the sixth.  Valera led off with a single and moved to second on a groundout.  Cason singled through the left side, moving Valera to third.  Joplin Osgood came in to punch run and stole second.  Cramer doubled to left field, scoring both runners to make it 9-3.  Later in the inning, Cramer came across the plate during a steal attempt, taking the lead to 11-3. 
 
Ripon took advantage of three hits and an Allegheny error in the bottom of the frame as they plated three runs to cut the lead to five at 11-6. 
 
Tori Vradenburg pitched the final 1.2 innings for the Gators, shutting down the Red Hawks as the Gators picked up the 11-6 win.
 
Lafferty had three hits in the game with a triple.  She drove in two runs while scoring once.  Ziggas had three hits, including a double, with two RBI and a run scored.  Samantha Valera had a pair of hits with a double while scoring twice.  Behr made her one hit on the day count on a two-run homerun.  Cramer also had an extra base hit with two RBI and two runs scored.  Harrison-Peters had a hit, a run scored and a one driven in.
 
Mariah Nablo collected her first collegiate win in relief.  She went 3.2 innings, allowing three earned runs. 
 
The Gators are back in action Thursday (March 21) when they play Calvin and Elmhurst.