MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny softball team concluded its final season in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Saturday (April 30) at home against Hiram.
The Terriers won game one 9-1 and game two 10-6 in extra innings.
Before the games, the Gators honored their three seniors:
Kaylin Tang (Vienna, Va./South Lakes),
Paige Ziggas (Beaver, Pa./Beaver Area) and
Joplin Osgood (Coudersport, Pa./Coudersport).
Game One – Hiram 9, Allegheny 1
The Terriers scored two runs apiece in the first and third. After scoring one run each in the fourth and fifth, they tacked one three more in the seventh.
Sophia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) doubled to lead-off the bottom of the seventh, and was driven in by
Cameron Long (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian).
Genareo had the lone extra-base hit for the Gators while
Aleya Belardinelli (Melbourne, Fla./West Shore), Ziggas, Long and Tang all singled. Belardinelli, the starting pitcher, also struck out seven batters.
Game Two – Hiram 10, Allegheny 6 (9 innings)
The Terriers struck first, plating three runs in the first, but the Gators made up some ground in the bottom of the inning. Ziggas doubled to left center before Osgood followed up with her own double to the same spot to cut the lead to 3-1.
In the third, Belardinelli was walked and Osgood singled to move Belardinelli to third.
Sophia Godzak (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) followed up by blasting a home run over the right field fence, giving the Gators a 4-3 lead. The home run marked her second of the season.
The lead stayed until the seventh inning when the Terriers put up three runs to take a 6-4 lead into the final half inning.
Ziggas doubled to lead-off the bottom of the seventh. Osgood then reached on an error, moving Ziggas to third. With two outs, Long singled to right field which brought both seniors home to tie the game and send it into extra innings.
After keeping the Terriers at bay in the top of the eighth,
Olivia Devries (Kent, Ohio/Field) hit a pinch hit double in the bottom of the frame. Belardinelli moved
Isabelle Wakefield (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) to third on a fielder's choice. A walk to Ziggas loaded the bases, but Hiram made it out of the jam to continue the extra innings.
Hiram broke the stalemate in the ninth, scoring four runs to take a 10-6 lead.
Godzak singled in the bottom of the ninth but was held at first as the Terriers secured the win.
Godzak led the Gators with three hits and three RBI. Ziggas and Osgood had multi-hit days as well. Tang, Devries and Long also delivered hits.
Samantha Dzierba (Colden, N.Y./Orchard Park) struck out three in 8.1 innings of work.
