JAN PHYL VILLAGE, Fla. – After falling in their first game of the day to Mount Mary in extra innings, the Allegheny softball team bounced back and defeated Bluffton to earn a split on day three of The Spring Games on Tuesday (March 7).
 
Game 1 - Mount Mary 4, Allegheny 3 (8 innings)
 
The Gators got to work early in their first game. Aleya Belardinelli (Melbourne, Fla./West Shore) led off with an infield single. Halle Book (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) then reached safely on a bunt. As Belardinelli went around to third, a throwing error allowed her to come home for the first run. Reigning Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Hitter of the Week Sophia Godzak (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) singled up the middle, bringing Book around for the second run. Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) singled for the Gators' fourth straight hit of the inning. A fielder's choice broke up the hit streak, but Samantha Phillips (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) singled up the middle to load the bases. However, the Blue Angels got out of the jam without surrendering another run.
 
The Blue Angels made up a run in the bottom of the frame, cutting the lead down to one. The scored remained 2-1 Gators until the fourth when a double scored one run for Mount Mary, tying the game.
 
The score stayed that way through regulation, putting the Gators in their third straight extra innings game.
 
Cameron Long (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) started the eighth on second base. A Sydni Junker (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) single up the middle brought Long home, giving the Gators the lead once again. 
 
The Blue Angels answered in the bottom of the frame by plating the initial runner placed at second. Then with two outs, a single brought home the final run as the Gators fell 4-3 in extra innings.
 
Inside the Box

• Godzak and Junker had two hits and RBI each.
• Six other Gators had singles as the Gators produced 10 hits.
• Samantha Dzierba (Colden, N.Y./Orchard Park) pitched all eight innings, striking out 10 for the second straight game.

Game 2 - Allegheny 7, Bluffton 0
 
In the top of the first, Book singled with one out. A fielder's choice and a walk loaded the bases for Long. Long came through in a big way, crushing a pitch over the left center wall for the grand slam, putting the Gators in front 4-0.
 
Belardinelli led off the bottom of the fifth with a single. After moving up on a sac bunt, Godzak hit a single to right field, scoring Belardinelli to make it 5-0. A Genareo single put runners on the corners. Maley Gleason (Houston, Texas/Westside) pinch ran for Godzak and scored on a wild pitch, pushing the lead to 6-0.
 
The lead grew in the sixth. Hadley Horensky (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Seton LaSalle Catholic) singled down the third base line and moved to third on a Isabelle Wakefield (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) single. Horsenky crossed the plate on a Belardinelli RBI.
 
Belardinelli struck out two batters in the seventh as the Gators completed the shutout.
 
Inside the Box

• All nine batters in the starting lineup recorded a hit for the Gators.
• Long led the team with four RBI on her grand slam.
• Phillips also tallied an extra base hit with a double.
• Godzak and Belardinelli drove in the other two runs.
• Belardinelli earned the complete game shutout. She allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out a career high 13 batters. 

News and Notes

• Today's games marked the first against Mount Mary and Bluffton.
• Long's home run marked her second of the season and the seventh of her career.
• The grand slam was the second on for the Gators during their spring break trip.
• Belardinelli's shutout was the second of her career. 

Up Next
After a day off, the Gators are back in action Thursday (March 9) for a doubleheader against Concordia Chicago and Dominican.