http://www.allegheny.edu
Gator Softball to Face Kenyon
April 13, 2006
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Three double-headers into the conference schedule, the Allegheny College softball team (11-15) faces a pair of highly important games this weekend against the Kenyon Ladies (10-14). Both teams stand at 4-2 in NCAC play, Kenyon having already knocked off defending regular season champion Ohio Wesleyan in a pair of games earlier this week.
Kenyon and Allegheny split in their games one year ago, as the Ladies fell one win shy of a conference tournament berth and the Gators earned the number two seed and eventual conference tournament crown.
This year’s match-up should again prove to be a significant one. Though it is still early in the conference season, Denison stands at 5-1, having split with Kenyon and swept both Oberlin and Wittenberg. Allegheny and Kenyon stand in second at 4-2, while Ohio Wesleyan is a surprising 3-3, having lost one to Wooster and lost the pair of aforementioned games to Kenyon.
Though Kenyon and Allegheny have similar overall records, the statistics point in favor of Allegheny for this weekend’s games. The Gators are hitting .286 versus their opponents’ .255 average, while Kenyon is batting just .255 compared to .310 for their adversaries. From the pitching perspective, Allegheny’s hurlers carry a 2.64 ERA compared to Kenyon’s 4.05 ERA.
The stats don’t tell the whole story, of course, as Kenyon’s Stephanie Hemming had an outstanding day against Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday, and will look to do the same Saturday against Allegheny. Hemming allowed just one run in seven innings in a 2-1 Kenyon win in the first Ohio Wesleyan game, and went on to pitch the first five innings of the second game, earning a no decision in another 2-1 Kenyon victory. Ohio Wesleyan had come into the games with a .326 batting average, but hit just .185 against the Ladies. Ohio Wesleyan’s one run per game was also well below normal, as the Battling Bishops came into the day averaging 6.46 runs per contest.
Allegheny and Kenyon meet on the diamond Saturday in Gamier, Ohio, with the first of the double-header slated for 1:00 p.m.