Gators Take One of Two at Wooster

Apr 19, 2006

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

WOOSTER, Ohio – The Allegheny College softball team (13-17, 6-4 NCAC) split a pair of conference games this afternoon versus the Wooster Fighting Scots. The Gators lost by a final of 4-2 in game one before rebounding for an 8-2 victory in the second contest.

The two-run loss in game one continues a streak of close defeats for Allegheny. The Blue and Gold are 11-12 over their last 23 games, with the 11 wins coming by an average of over six runs per game, and the 12 losses by fewer than two runs per game.

Things looked good early for the Gators, as starting pitcher Giannina Coccaro (Miami, Fla./ Palmetto) allowed just one hit through three innings, striking out five batters.

The Gators were not finding the gaps much either in the early going, but a pair of Wooster errors in the second helped bring in Gator shortstop Rachel Ryan (West Salem, Ohio/ Northwestern) (right), giving Allegheny the 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth inning the Fighting Scots would even the score with help from an Allegheny error that kept the inning alive.

Through four innings the teams had combined for just for hits and two unearned runs, but in the fifth both teams would earn their way to home plate.

In the top half of the inning Allegheny’s Stephanie Lasinski (Gibsonia/ Pine-Richland) led off with a double, and after a sacrifice by Sarah Piranian (Mars/ North Allegheny) put Lasinski at third, a Crystal Ptacek (Allison Park/ North Allegheny) single to center would give the Gators the 2-1 lead.

Again, the lead would not last, as Wooster would earn a trifecta of runs on two hits, two hit batters, and a walk in the bottom of the inning.

Down 4-2, the Gators went hitless in the final two innings.

Both teams ended the game with four hits, a pair of errors, and five runners left on base. Coccaro went five innings, allowing four runs on four hits and striking out eight batters. Becca Rich (Gibsonia/ North Allegheny) came on in relief, and in one inning allowed no hits, striking out one.

In game two Allegheny would jump out to a big early lead, scoring four runs on just two hits in the first. An error and a pair of wild pitches put Wooster in the hole after just one batter, and after Ptacek drew a walk, the inning would continue to go downhill for the home team. Ryan and starting pitcher Brittany Rechtin (Spring City/ St. Pius X) would each single, and the Gators would leave the inning with a 4-0 advantage.

Wooster would pick up a run in the third after a leadoff triple, but Allegheny would answer right back in the top of the fourth with two more runs. Piranian and Ptacek singled, and Allegheny gained the 6-1 lead.

Wooster narrowed the lead back to four in the bottom of the fifth, scoring one run on two hits, but again, the Gators would answer.

In the top of the seventh hits by Ryan, Coccaro, and Lasinski would help Allegheny to get two more runs, and the 8-2 win.

Rechtin went the distance, picking up her third win of the season after allowing seven hits, one earned run, and striking out a pair of Scots.

Allegheny scored eight runs, four earned, on an even 10 hits. Ryan was 4-for-4 in the game with a pair of runs scored and an RBI.

The Blue and Gold return home this Saturday, April 22, to face defending NCAC regular season champion Ohio Wesleyan in a 1:00 p.m. double-header. The two teams have met in the finals of the NCAC Tournament in each of the past two seasons, with Allegheny capturing the tournament crown on both occasions.

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