MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny softball team opened the home portion of their 2022 schedule Thursday (March 31) against Hilbert.
 
The Gators won game one 11-3 while game two ended in a 1-1 tie.
 
Game One – Allegheny 11, Hilbert 3 (6 innings)
 
Hadley Horensky (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Seton LaSalle Catholic) was walked with two outs in the bottom of the first. Cameron Long (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) drove Horensky home with a double to left center, registering the first run of the game.
 
In the bottom of the third, Paige Ziggas (Beaver, Pa./Beaver Area) and Horensky earned walks with one out, which set up Long for a three-run home run to deadcenter. The home run marked the third of her career.
 
The Hawks scored a run in the top of the fourth and two more in the fifth to cut the lead to one, 4-3.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Long tallied her third hit of the game, a single, and stole second. Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) brought her around from second with an RBI single to increase the lead to 5-3. The Gators then earned three straight walks to Sophia Godzak (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon), Isabelle Wakefield (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) and Olivia Devries (Kent, Ohio/Field). The walk to Devries brought pinch runner Anna Castlevetere (Clarence, N.Y./Nardin Academy) home to make it 6-3.
 
Ziggas hit an infield single in the sixth and was driven in on a Horensky double. A walk and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Genareo, who singled up the middle to score Horensky. Wakefield earned her second walk of the game which scored Long. Kaylin Tang (Vienna, Va./Vienna) then brought Joplin Osgood (Coudersport, Pa./Coudersport) home to make it 10-3. Aleya Belardinelli (Melbourne, Fla./West Shore) ended the game with a single up the middle, scoring Genareo.
 
Long went 3-for-3 with four RBI. Wakefield also had a multi-hit game with a pair of RBI. Overall, seven Gators recorded an RBI.
 
Belardinelli earned the win, striking out a season-high 10 batters.
 
Game Two – Allegheny 1, Hilbert 1
 
Horensky hit a solo home run, the first of her career, in the first inning to put the Gators on the board. 
 
Hilbert tied the game in the fourth on a sacrifice fly. 
 
Wakefield led off the seventh with a single to left field but the Gators were unable to score before the game was called due to darkness, resulting in a tie. 
 
Horensky led the Gators with three hits while Wakefield had two.
 
Jordan Williams (San Diego, Calif./Academy of Our Lady of Peace) struck out five while allowing five hits.
 
The Gators start NCAC play Sunday (April 3) on the road at Ohio Wesleyan.