WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Allegheny softball team collected their fifth Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader sweep of the year as they defeated Washington & Jefferson 7-2 and 12-4 Friday (April 21) on the road.
 
The two wins brought the Gators to 24 on the season, the most since they reached the same total in 2013.
 
Game One – Allegheny 7, W&J 2
 
The Presidents got on the board in the first on a solo home run. The lead stayed that way until the fourth when the Gators scored four runs. Cameron Long (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) led off the inning with a solo blast to left center. It was her sixth home run of the season. Sophia Godzak (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) and Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) hit back-to-back doubles, putting the Gators ahead, 2-1. Olivia Devries (Kent, Ohio/Field) would hit into an error, which allowed Genareo to score. An Isabelle Wakefield (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) single plated Devries for the fourth run of the frame.
 
Washington & Jefferson was able to make up some ground in the bottom of the fourth, scoring one run to cut the lead to 4-2.
 
The Gators had another big inning in the sixth. Genareo started the inning with a double. Maley Gleason (Houston, Texas/Westside) entered as a pinch runner for her. An infield single by Samantha Phillips (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) put runners on the corners. Devries hit the second double of the frame, scoring Gleason and putting Phillips at third. Halle Book (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) would hit a two RBI single with two outs, increasing the lead to 7-2.
 
Aleya Belardinelli (Melbourne, Fla./West Shore) allowed just one hit over the final two innings, sealing the win for the Gators.
 
Inside the Box

• Genareo went three-for-four with a pair of doubles, a RBI and a run.
• Long also went three-for-four with a solo home run, a double and a run scored.
• Wakefield had two hits, including a RBI single.
• Book had a two RBI single.
• Devries had two hits with one of them being a RBI double while scoring twice.
• Godzak, Phillips and Hadley Horensky (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Seton LaSalle Catholic) also registered hits.
• Belardinelli earned her 14th win of the season, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out 11.

Game Two – Allegheny 12, W&J 2 (5 innings)
 
The Gators got on the board early. Belardinelli started the game with a single to right field. Two outs later, Genareo doubled for the third time on the day, bringing Belardinelli all the way around for the game's first run. However, three hits from the Presidents led to a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame as they took the lead.
 
The W&J lead was short lived as the Gators gained it back in the second. Devries and Horensky hit back-to-back singles to begin the frame before Wakefield was walked with one out to load the bases. Belardinelli then singled down the left field line, scoring Devries to tie the game. A Long groundout brought Horensky home as the Gators took a 3-2 lead.
 
Allegheny scored six runs on seven hits in the third. Genareo hit her fourth double of the afternoon to get the offense started. A single by Phillips and a walk to Devries loaded the bases with no outs. Horensky hit a RBI single to left field, scoring Genareo. Wakefield came to the plate with the bases still loaded and delivered a bases clearing double, increasing the lead to 7-2. Long singled with two outs and stole second, which put two runners in scoring position. A Godzak single through the right side, scoring both Wake field and Long to make it 9-2.
 
The Gators added one more run in the fourth when Wakefield drove Devries in. 
 
In the fifth, Allegheny crossed the plate twice. Phillips hit a one-out single with Gleason entering to pinch run. After Horensky singled, pitcher Samantha Dzierba (Colden, N.Y./Orchard Park) helped her own case by singling up the middle, scoring Gleason. Wakefield delivered another RBI hit, driving Horensky home for her fifth RBI of the game.
 
The Presidents scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 12-4, but was unable to plate another run as the Gators picked up the five inning win.
 
Inside the Box

• Wakefield drove in a career-high five runs while going three-for-three with a double and a run scored.
• Belardinelli and Genareo also had three hits, a RBI and a run apiece. Two of Genareo's hits were doubles.
• Horensky was the fourth Gator with three hits, crossing the plate three times while driving one home.
• Devries had two hits and three runs scored while Phillips had two hits and a run scored.
• Godzak drove in two runs while Long and Dzierba had RBI hits.
• Dzierba earned the win, allowing three earned runs while striking out four. 

News and Notes

• The Gators, who have already clinched a spot in the PAC postseason, moved to 24-8 overall and 14-4 in PAC play. The 24 wins are the most for the Gators since 2013.
• Allegheny is now 10-3 all-time against W&J.
• Belardinelli earned her 14th win of the season while Dzierba earned her eighth.
• Long hit her sixth home run of the year.
• The 19 hits in game two were the most this season as all nine starting batters registered a hit. 

Up Next
The Gators are back in action Tuesday (April 25) when they travel to Waynesburg for their final PAC series of the regular season.