WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Allegheny softball team continued competition at The Spring Games in Florida, splitting a pair of games on their second day of the trip.
The Gators fell to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 9-7, in their first game before rallying to defeat Pitt Greensburg 7-6 in their second game.
Game 1 - University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 9, Allegheny 7
The Corsairs struck first with a run in the top of the first, but the Gators matched it in the bottom of the frame. With two outs,
Cameron Long (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) and
Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) hit back-to-back singles. A walk issued to
Sophia Godzak (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) loaded the bases for
Olivia Devries (Kent, Ohio/Field). Devries delivered with a RBI single through the right side, scoring Long and tying the game.
In the top of the third, the Corsairs regained the lead as they scored one run in the frame. They also tacked on two in the fifth to make it 4-1.
The bottom of the fifth saw the Gators come alive.
Halle Book (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) and
Aleya Belardinelli (Melbourne, Fla./West Shore) led off with back-to-back singles. Book was able to take home on a double steal, narrowing the gap to two. A couple batters later, Godzak drew a bases loaded walk, making it a one run game. With the bases still loaded, Devries crushed a grand slam over the left field fence, giving the Gators a 7-4 lead. The home run was the second of her career.
UMass Dartmouth made up two runs in the bottom of the frame and added three in the seventh to regain the lead, 9-7, heading into the final half inning.
Godzak reached base in the seventh, but the Corsairs recorded the final three outs for the victory.
Inside the Box
- Devries led the offense with five RBI on a pair of hits.
- Long and Belardinelli had multi-hit games while Genareo and Book also had hits.
- Godzak was walked twice and had a RBI.
- Belardinelli went 6.1 innings, striking out five.
- Six different Gators crossed the plate, including Long who scored twice.
Game 2 - Allegheny 7, Pitt Greensburg 6
The Bobcats got on the board first, plating three runs in the first two innings.
The Gators cracked the scoreboard in the third.
Maley Gleason (Houston, Texas/Westside) started the third with a double to left field. A pair of Pitt Greensburg errors brought her in for their first run. A RBI groundout by Book brought
Audrey Blarr (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence) around, making it a one run game.
The Gators took the lead in the fifth. After a lead-off walk, Blarr would eventually score on a Book RBI, tying the game. Belardinelli put the Gators in front, scoring on a failed pick off attempt. Later in the inning, a Godzak RBI single brought Book across to make it 5-3 Allegheny.
However, the lead was short lived as Pitt Greensburg scored three in the bottom of the frame to reclaim the lead, 6-5.
The Gator bats continued in the sixth inning.
Hadley Horensky (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Seton LaSalle Catholic) led off with a single. A Gleason sac bunt and a double by Blarr put Horensky at third. A groundout by Belardinelli brought Horensky home before Blarr gave the Gators the lead, 7-6, on a wild pitch.
The lead stayed that way heading into the bottom of the inning. The Bobcats trailed by one but had the bases loaded with one out. Shortstop Book got to a shallow pop up down the third base line, then threw out the runner going home for a game ending double play.
Inside the Box
- Devries, Gleason, Genareo and Blarr all had an extra base hit in the game.
- Eight total Gators had hits, with Devries tallying two.
- Book recorded a pair of RBI.
- Blarr crossed the plate three times.
- Samantha Dzierba (Colden, N.Y./Orchard Park) got the win in relief, striking out five in 5.2 innings.
News and Notes
- Today marked the first games against UMass Dartmouth and Pitt Greensburg in program history.
Up Next
The Gators are back for a doubleheader Monday (March 6) against Concordia (Minn.) and Simmons.
