Allegheny Baseball Splits With #2 Wooster

Apr 1, 2006

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny College Gators used a strong pitching effort to combat a Wooster lineup that came into the game with a .380 batting average, splitting a pair of conference games, improving Allegheny’s record to 4-11 on the season.

Jon Schmitt (Bolivar, N.Y./Bolivar Richburg) pitched seven innings in the first game, giving up just three runs, while Colt Viehdorfer (Morrisdale/West Branch), Craig Misiewicz (Bethel Park) and Drew Scibetta (Glenshaw/Shaler Area) teamed up to hold the Scots to just two runs in the final game of the day, with Scibetta picking up the win.

In the first inning of game one the Fighting Scots found the scoreboard when Shaun Swearingin scored off of a single from teammate Kurt Kapferer. The Blue and Gold knotted the game in their half of the first inning, when Dan Ayer (Pittsburgh/Mt. Lebanon) scored when the throw from Eric Rich’s (McMurray/Peters Township) sacrifice bunt attempt was not caught by the covering second baseman, allowing Ayer to score from second base.

The Scots took a 2-1 lead in the second inning, when Sean Karpen singled, scoring catcher Brandon Boesiger. A bases loaded fly out ended the threat in the inning, before Mike Barone hit a home run in the top of the third inning, pushing the visitors lead to 3-1 in the contest.

The game turned into a pitcher's duel, with neither team able to squeeze a run across the plate for the next four innings, before the Gators threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Zack Oblak (Harrison City/Penn-Trafford) reached on an error, and was driven in when Pete Obourn (Farmington, N.Y./Victor) hit a triple to right center field, closing the gap to one at 3-2. A strikeout and a groundout to the pitcher, however, ended the hopes of a Gator comeback.

Obourn was 2-for-3 from the plate with a run batted in, while Ayer and Oblak scored the team’s two runs. Schmitt picked up the complete game loss, striking out two, while his counterpart on the Wooster side, Jon Oliver, improved to 4-0 on the season, striking out seven, as none of the runs were earned in the game.

The teams were unable to score in their first attempts in the second game, as Wooster then took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Barone hit his second home run of the day. Brock Busson led off the third inning with a home run, as Wooster continued to threaten in the inning, loading the bases with two outs, but a deep fly ball to center field fell into Eric Rich’s glove, ending the inning for the Gators.

The Gators got their first run of the game when Ayer singled, as the ball skipped over the right fielder’s glove, scoring James Fernandez (Niagara Falls, N.Y.), who was on first base, as the Gators cut the deficit to one run at 2-1 after the third inning.

The Gators threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Rich singled, and stole second. An Obourn single to the shortstop put runners on the corners with two outs in the inning before a flyout to right ended the rally in the evening. After Scibetta struck out the Wooster side in the top of the seventh inning, the Gators got a quick start in the bottom of the inning, when Oblak led off with a double. A bunt attempt by Fernandez advanced Oblak to third, before the throw by pitcher Luke Katich was unable to be handled by the second baseman, scoring Brian Schmidt (Utica/Franklin), who was pinch running, and putting Fernandez on third. After a strikeout, a Dan Ayer sharply hit groundball was unable to be corralled by the Wooster shortstop, scoring pinch runner Travis McQuiston (Ellwood City/Lincoln) and giving the Gators the 3-2 win.

The Gators were held to just four hits in the second game, and eight on the day. Ayer, Rich, Obourn and Oblak had the team’s hits, as none of the three runs were driven in by an Allegheny batter.

Viehdorfer pitched four innings, scattering seven hits and allowing the two earned runs, while Misiewicz pitched a pair of innings, striking out four and giving up just one hit. Scibetta struck out the side in the top of the seventh, in picking up the win.

The Gators face the Scots in another double header tomorrow, Sunday, April 2, with the first pitch set for noon at Robertson Field.

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