OBERLIN, Ohio – The Allegheny baseball team, which is currently receiving votes in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) rankings, swept a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) doubleheader on the road against Oberlin Thursday (April 7).
Allegheny won game one 14-8 and game two 13-3 in seven innings. The Blue & Gold finds itself 15-5 overall after having won 10 of its last 12, while also opening NCAC play 4-0.
The Gators began the opener with a pair of runs in both the second and third innings, with the big blow being a two-run single in the second by
Brayden Cartwright (New Castle, Pa./New Castle). An RBI double by
Brett Heckert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny), who later came in to score on a wild pitch, accounted for the scoring in the top of the third.
After Oberlin got on the board in the bottom of the third, Allegheny upped the lead to 7-1 with three runs in the top of the fifth.
Ben Kosbie (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) reached on a fielder's choice that saw
Tyson Bryant-Dawson (Oakland, Calif./Manvel (Texas)) score on a muffed throw by the catcher before an RBI single from Cartwright and
Chase Chodkowski (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) later crossing the plate on a wild pitch.
The Yeomen cut the deficit to 7-3 by getting a pair of runs back in the bottom of the fifth, but the Gators exploded for six in the sixth to take firm control. Heckert hit an RBI single, Chodkowski walked with the bases loaded, Cartwright drove in two with a single and
Ryan Dougherty (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) had an RBI single that also brought in Cartwright after a fielding error by the left fielder. Allegheny added an insurance run in the ninth on an RBI single from Heckert to post the 14-8 win.
Cartwright finished 4-for-5 with five RBIs, while Heckert was 3-for-6 with three RBIs and a double. Dougherty had a triple as part of his two hits. In total, the Gators slugged 15 base knocks in the victory.
Bobby Kusinsky (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) improved to 5-0, tossing exactly 100 pitches on the day. He worked 5.0 innings, allowing eight hits and three runs (two earned), while striking out four and walking three. After a pair of relievers bridged the gap,
Hunter Lohr (Bowdoinham, Maine/Mt. Ararat) worked the final 2.1 innings of hitless baseball, striking out three and walking one.
Heckert got the Gators out to a fast start in game two as he belted a three-run home run in the top of the first.
After the Yeomen cut the lead to one, the Gators offense picked it back up in the third inning. Kosbie,
Jake Stotsky (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy) and
Sullivan Schueltz (Ligonier, Pa./Ligonier Valley) had RBI singles in the inning, while Chodkowski drove in two with a base hit.
Allegheny had another five-run outburst in the sixth. A
Brady Nolin (Cumberland, Maine./Greely) triple drove in Chodkowski and Dougherty. Nolin would come home on a wild pitch before a Schueltz double plated Stotsky and Heckert.
Brent Herrmann (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) collected his first career win on the mound, allowing just two hits, one walk and one earned run.
Joseph Raleigh (Clermont, Fla./East Ridge) pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit.
Schueltz ended the game with three hits and three RBI. Heckert also drove in three runs. Chodkowski and Nolin had a pair of RBI each while Chodkowski, Dougherty and Stotsky had multi-hit games.
Allegheny is set to return to action with an NCAC doubleheader at home against Denison at 12 p.m. on Sunday, April 10.
