STEUBENVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny softball team collected their third straight Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) sweep Tuesday (April 9), defeating Franciscan in both ends of a twinbill Tuesday (April 9).
 
The Gators took game one 10-1 in six innings and game two 13-0 in five innings.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning of game one, Aleya Belardinelli (Melbourne, Fla./West Shore) struck out her ninth batter of the game. That strikeout made her just the sixth Gator to reach 300 career strikeouts. 
 
Game One - Allegheny 10, Franciscan 1 (6 innings)
 
The Gators opened the game with a one run in the first. Samantha Phillips (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) was walked and moved up on a Olivia Devries (Kent, Ohio/Field) single and a passed ball. Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) then drove Phillips in on a Baron error.
 
A walk issued to Devries, followed by singles from Sophia Godzak (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) and Halle Book (Wexford, Pa./North Catholic) loaded the bases. Devries came across the plate on a wild pitch before Hadley Horensky (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Seton LaSalle Catholic) smacked a three-run home run to make it 5-0. The homer was her first of the season and the second of her career.
 
After doubling in her first at-bat, Cameron Long (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) led-off the fourth with a solo home run to increase their lead to 6-0. The home run was her second of the season and 14th of her career.
 
The Barons nearly got on the board in the fourth, but a throw from right fielder Phillips caught the runner at the plate for the final out.
 
Allegheny added another run in the fifth. Book started the inning with a single and moved to third because of an error on the play. Horensky brought Book in on a sacrifice fly.
 
In the sixth, Belardinelli reached on an error and stole second. After moving up to third, Genareo drove her home on a flyout. After a Godzak single put two runners on, a Book single scored both Godzak and Devries as the lead reached 10-0.
 
Franciscan scored an unearned run in the sixth, but it was not enough to overcome the Allegheny lead.
 
Inside the Box

• Belardinelli finished the game with 10 strikeouts as she became the sixth Gator to reach that career milestone. She allowed just two hits in five innings.
• Horensky had four RBI with a three-run home run and a sacrifice fly.
• Book drove in two runs with two hits.
• Long had two extra-base hits, a double and a home run.
• Godzak also had two hits.
• Genareo drove in a pair of runs.
• Jordan Williams (San Diego, Calif./Academy of Our Lady of Peace) pitched the sixth inning, striking out a batter. 

Game Two - Allegheny 13, Franciscan 0
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Gators scored seven runs on five hits in the second. With the bases loaded, Genareo scored the first run of the inning on an error. During the next at-bat, Godzak came across the plate on a wild pitch. After the bases were once again loaded, Phillips cleared them with a triple, increasing the lead to 5-0. The final runs of the inning came off the bat of Devries, who hit her third home run of the season, a two-run blast. 
 
Allegheny added two more runs in the fourth as Genareo had a two RBI single, plating Devries and Phillips.
 
In the fifth, the Gators loaded the bases for Devries. Devries delivered a grand slam off the first pitch she saw, her second home run of the contest. The grand slam was the second one of her career.
 
Inside the Box

• Devries drove in six runs off two homers, including a grand slam, finishing the game with three hits. The six RBI is tied for the second most in a single game for a Gator.
• Phillips had a three RBI triple.
• Genareo went three-of-three with a double and a pair of runs driven in.
• Arianna Wilkinson (Warren, Ohio/Howland) had a pinch hit single.
• Horensky, Belardinelli and Long all drove in a run.
• Williams, Samantha Dzierba (Colden, N.Y./Orchard Park) and Madison Hulse (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo) all saw time in the circle as the trio combined for the shutout victory.

News and Notes

• Allegheny improved to 16-4 on the year with a 7-1 PAC record.
• The Gators remain undefeated against the Barons with a 4-0 mark.
• In game one, Belardinelli tallied her 300th career strikeout. She becomes the sixth Gator to eclipse that plateau. 
• Devries had her first multi-home run game. The six RBI in game two is tied for the second most in a game for a Gator. 

Up Next
The Gators next scheduled game is at home Thursday against Thiel.