MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny softball team split a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader against Grove City Tuesday (April 1) in Meadville.
The Gators won the first game in extra innings, 10-9, before falling in game two 9-1.
Game One - Allegheny 10, Grove City 9 (8 innings)
The Wolverines gained an early lead, scoring two runs on three hits in the first inning.
Samantha Phillips (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) led-off the bottom of the frame with a single up the middle.
Cameron Long (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) then singled on a bunt to put two runners on. After a groundout moved the runners up,
Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) put the Gators in front as she launched a ball over the left field fence for a three-run home run. The home run was her first of the season.
Grove City regained the lead in the fifth, taking advantage of a two out error to score a pair of runs and jump ahead, 4-3.
Julia Perillo (New Fairfield, Conn./New Fairfield) doubled to start the bottom of the frame. After
Halle Book (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) reached on a bunt single to move her to third, Phillips singled through the left side, scoring Perillo to tie the game at four. Long drew a walk to load the bases for
Olivia Devries (Kent, Ohio/Field). Devries doubled to the fence, bringing two runs across. Genareo then hit a sacrifice fly to make it 7-4.
The back-and-forth continued as the Wolverines brought five runs in to retake the lead, 9-7.
The score remained the same heading into the bottom of the seventh. Phillips drew a walk to begin the frame. Long followed up with a single to deep center. Devries then singled off the left field fence, scoring Phillips to bring the lead down to one. Genareo then singled through the left side, bringing Long around to tie the game at nine. The Gators loaded the bases with two outs, but the Wolverines escaped the inning as the game went into extra innings.
The Gators got in a jam in the eighth as the Wolverines had runners at second and third with one out, but a groundout and a flyout got Allegheny out of the inning without allowing a run.
Book led-off the bottom of the eighth with a bunt single. Phillips laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached first on a throwing error. Long dropped down another sacrifice bunt and once again, a throwing error allowed Long to reach as Book came around from second, sliding into home for the walkoff win.
Inside the Box
- Madison Hulse (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo) appeared in relief to earn the win. She allowed two hits in 2.1 innings of work.
- Genareo drove in five runs on a three-run home run, RBI single and a sacrifice fly.
- Phillips had a pair of hits, driving in a run and scoring three times.
- Devries hit a two RBI double as well as a RBI single.
- Long had two hits with three runs scored.
- Book also had two hits, scoring the winning run.
- Perillo doubled.
- Belardinelli struck out four batters while allowing two earned runs.
Game Two - Grove City 9, Allegheny 1 (6 innings)
After a scoreless two-and-a-half innings, the Gators got on the board in the bottom of the third. Phillips singled up the middle and advanced on a wild pitch. With two outs, Devries doubled to right center, bringing Phillips in for the game's first run.
However, the Wolverines scored four runs on three hits and an error in the fourth to move ahead, 4-1. Grove City added four more runs on four hits in the fifth to make it 8-1.
In the sixth, Grove City tacked on one more run before holding the Gators off the board in the bottom of the frame to seal the win.
Inside the Box
- Samantha Dzierba (Colden, N.Y./Orchard Park) struck out six batters in the start.
- Devries had a RBI double.
- Hulse also registered a double.
- Audrey Blarr (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence), Phillips and Belardinelli had singles.
News and Notes
- Allegheny is now 31-10 all-time against Grove City.
- Genareo hit her 11th career home run.
Up Next
The Gators are on the road Saturday (April 5) at Thiel.
