MEADVILLE, Pa. –  A three-run sixth inning lifted the Allegheny baseball team to a 3-1 victory against Grove City Wednesday in the Gators' home opener.
 
The Wolverines got on the board in the top of the second, taking advantage of a lead-off single.
 
Dalton DuBois (Bemus Point, N.Y./Maple Grove) nearly tied the game in the third with a shot off the left center wall, resulting in a triple with two outs.  However, the Gators were unable to bring him across the plate as the game remained 1-0 in favor of the Wolverines.
 
The Gators broke through in the bottom of the sixth.  With runners on second and third, Isaiah Lucas (Butler, Pa./Butler) hit a ball over the head of the center fielder, scoring John Malagise (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) and Keegan Phillips (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) as the Gators gained their first lead of the day, 2-1.  Jacob Budnar (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) followed up with a RBI double, scoring Lucas to make it 3-1.
 
Allegheny continued to maintain their advantage, as neither team would cross the plate again.
 
Nick Tarasi (Gibsonia, Pa./Shady Side Academy), who earned a spot on the D3baseball Team of the Week on Tuesday, entered for the save in the ninth, recording all three outs for his third save of the season.
 
Cam Karnik (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele) collected the win in relief, going 3.0 innings, allowing just two hits, while striking out one.
 
DuBois, Lucas and Budnar all had multi-hit games for the Gators.  Lucas had a pair of RBI while Budnar had the third. 
 
The Gators return to action as they travel to Tucson, Ariz. for an eight-game slate, starting with a doubleheader against Augsburg Saturday.