DELAWARE, Ohio – Allegheny's offensive attack was on full display in a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) twinbill at Ohio Wesleyan, with the Gators winning game one, 11-0, in seven innings before taking an 18-10 lead into the sixth before the game was halted due to darkness.
In game one, the Gators put up 10 runs in the second through fourth innings, including six in the fourth. The first seven runs were plated via home runs, as
Ryan Dougherty (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) belted a three-run homer in the second.
Jacob Budnar (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) led off the third with a solo shot down the left-field line, before a walk to
Tyson Bryant-Dawson (Oakland, Calif./Manvel (Texas)) and double by
Brett Heckert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) set the table for a three-run shot off the bat of
Brady Nolin (Cumberland, Maine/Greely). A single from
Chase Chodkowski (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) and double by
Brayden Cartwright (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) put runners at second and third, with Chodkowski scoring on a sacrifice fly by
Jake Stotsky (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy) and Cartwright coming in on an RBI groundout by Dougherty.
Nolin drove in the 10th run with a double in the fourth, bringing home Bryant-Dawson. The 11th run came in the top of the seventh when
Ben Kosbie (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) drove in Stotsky with an RBI single.
Dougherty and Nolin both drove in four on the day, while the pair were joined by Budnar, Heckert and Kosbie with multi-hit games.
Conor Deasy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) improved to 6-2 on the mound this season and earned the 10th win of his career. It also marked his fourth career shutout and second this year. He went the distance, going 7.0 innings and scattering three hits. He struck out nine and walked just two.
The night cap had a similar feel for the Gators as the offense kept clicking on all cylinders. The first two innings saw Allegheny score once and then three times, respectively, with Dougherty recording an RBI base knock and Budnar delivering an RBI double as the big blows.
Allegheny blew the game open with seven runs apiece in both the third and fourth innings. In the third, Nolin,
Anthony Maslo (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny), Cartwright, and Kosbie delivered RBI singles, with Dougherty providing a two-run double in the frame. After OWU got on the board for the first time all day in the bottom of the third, the Blue & Gold went back to work in the top of the fourth, scoring seven unearned runs. Maslo delivered an RBI single, Cartwright and Budnar reached on errors that brought home runs and Kosbie had an RBI fielder's choice. The inning was capped off when Bryant-Dawson reclaimed the team lead in home runs from Nolin with a three-run shot to center.
Daniel Morgano (Allison Park, Pa./Vincentian Academy) worked the first 4.0 innings and scattered six hits while surrendering just one run and striking out four and walking three.
The game was halted due to darkness with Allegheny leading 18-10 in the top of the sixth after the Bishops battled back with nine runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Upon restart on Wednesday, April 27 at Wooster, the Gators outscored the Bishops 5-1 to earn the 23-11 victory. Dougherty finished the second game 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. Stotsky and
Andrew Stablewski (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Academy) both had three hits and four others had two-hit showings. Allegheny finished with 21 hits in the contest, a season high.
The Gators are scheduled to host a single, nonconference game against Penn State Beaver at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 18 before returning to NCAC play on Tuesday, April 19 with a noon home doubleheader against Hiram.
