KISSIMMEE, Fla.— The Allegheny College softball team fell in a pair of close games to close out their 2019 spring break trip in Florida.
The Gators fell to SUNY Plattsburgh 6-3 in their first game. Their second game against Manchester went into extra innings, but the Gators fell 6-5.
Game One – SUNY Plattsburgh 6, Allegheny 3
Kelly Lafferty earned a walk to start the game.
Paige Ziggas followed up with a single through the left side to put runners at first and second.
Hayley Behr hit an infield single to load the bases.
Kyleigh Cason hit a sac fly to centerfield, scoring Lafferty to give the Gators the first run of the game.
Emily Cramer led off the second with a single up the middle.
Joplin Osgood moved her over on a sac bunt before a Lafferty double down the left field line brought her home to make it 2-0.
The Cardinals gained the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Four singles and a Gator error led to three runs as they took a one run lead.
Plattsburgh tacked onto the lead with three in the fifth. The Gators committed three errors in the inning while surrendering a pair of hits as the Cardinal lead grew to 6-2.
The Gators threatened with a pair of hits in the sixth, but left two base runners stranded.
Lafferty led off the seventh with a double to the left center gap, however, she was caught stealing third.
Samantha Valera hit the second double of the inning with two outs. Behr then doubled to bring her home, cutting the lead to 6-3. Cason kept the rally going with a single, but the Cardinals got out of the inning without allowing another run to seal the win.
Kala Mahen allowed just two earned runs while striking out a season-best seven.
Behr led the offense with three hits and a RBI. Lafferty, Cason and Cramer all had two hits apiece.
Game Two – Manchester 6, Allegheny 5 (8 innings)
Manchester started the game with a one-out single in the first. A follow up double put the runner at third, who came home on the next play for the game's first run.
Jessica Valerino and
Jessica Gordon singled in the bottom of the second, but the Gators left two on base as they trailed 1-0 entering the third.
The Spartans added one more in the third. After a leadoff walk, the runner stole second. A single to right field brought her around to make it 2-0.
Valera hit a single to left with one out in the bottom of the third. Cason was hit on a 3-0 pitch to put runners at first and second. However, the Gators left the pair of runners on base once again.
A pair of hits put runners on second and third for the Spartans in the fifth. A single to center field brought one runner in, but Ziggas threw down to
Shannon Putnam behind the plate who tagged the second runner out to end the inning.
Delaney Harrison-Peters hit into an error to lead-off the bottom of the fifth. Cason followed up with a single to put her in scoring position. Behr then singled to right, loading the bases with no outs. Valerino then hit a shot that landed in back of the infield behind the shortstop, scoring Harrioson-Peters to cut the lead to 3-1. With the bases still loaded, Osgood earned a four-pitch walk, which brought Cason home to make it 3-2, still with no outs. Putnam came through with a two RBI single past the third baseman, putting the Gators in front 4-3.
The Spartans had a leadoff single in the top of the sixth, but a 6-4-3 double play got the Gators out of the frame unscathed. In the top of the seventh, the Spartans hit a leadoff single, which eventually led to a sac fly to tie the game at four.
Osgood earned another walk with one out in the seventh. Putnam earned a walk with two outs, before Osgood stole third. However, the Spartans did not allow Osgood to advance to home, sending the game into extra innings.
The Spartans took advantage of the runner starting the inning on second, as a leadoff single put them back in front, 5-4. Another single, followed by a sac fly, scored the second run of the inning as the Gators trailed 6-4 entering the bottom of the eighth.
Mariah Nablo started the inning at second. A flyout allowed her to advance to third. A Harrison-Peters groundout allowed her to come home, cutting the lead to 6-5. However, the Gators were unable to produce another run as they fell in extra innings 6-5.
Tori Vradenburg pitched all eight innings for Gators, allowing four earned runs.
Valerino and Gordon had tow hits apiece to lead the offense.
The Gators are back in action Thursday (March 27) when they travel to Geneva College for a non-conference doubleheader.
