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Apr 23, 2006

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny College softball team (14-18, 7-5 NCAC) fell in game one of today’s double-header versus Ohio Wesleyan (20-14, 7-5 NCAC) by an extra-inning final of 2-0. The Gators rebounded in game two, however, dropping the visiting Battling Bishops in five innings by a final of 11-2.

In game one, Allegheny starting pitcher Giannina Coccaro (Miami, Fla./ Palmetto) fell behind a pair of batters by a count of 3-0 over the first two innings, but battled back against both Bishops, retiring one on a groundout and one by strikeout. That strikeout was her fourth in the first two innings, allowing an infield hit and no runs in that stretch.

The Gators having grounded out in their first six at-bats, Coccaro continued to throw well. Two runners got on in the third, but she got out of the inning with a strikeout.

Allegheny was the first team to advance a runner to third. Lindsay Visco (Pittsburgh/ Brentwood) got a one-out single to right, and off an error by the right fielder, she moved on to second base. The next batter moved her to third via a groundout, but the threat would end with another groundout, Allegheny’s eighth in ten at-bats.

Coccaro got her sixth strikeout in the fourth, and in the bottom of the inning a one-out triple to center by Abby Bodenlos (Pittsburgh/ Shady Side Academy) again put the Bishops on their heels. A pair of groundouts to third ended the inning, however, the game still scoreless through four.

Coccaro struck out a pair of batters in each of the next two innings, while Allegheny picked up one hit in both the fifth and sixth, but the game remained tied 0-0.

Neither team could put anything together in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings.

Coccaro would strike out the first batter in the top of the eighth, but she would hit the next batter to put a runner on first. Each of the next two batters would single, the second hit of the inning bringing home two runs. Coccaro would collect her thirteenth strikeout against the next Battling Bishop, and then get out of the inning with a pop-out to second, the score 2-0 in favor of Ohio Wesleyan.

Allegheny would not find a way to rally in the bottom half of the inning, going down in order, the final 2-0.

The Gators ended with four hits versus Ohio Wesleyan’s five.

Game two starter Brittany Rechtin (Spring City/ St. Pius X) tallied just three strikeouts in her five innings against Ohio Wesleyan, but like Coccaro, had an extremely solid outing.

Rechtin gave up a leadoff single in the top of the first inning, but got out of a two on, one out jam with a strikeout and groundout.

The Gators would get four on in the bottom of the inning, but collect just one run. Liz Burr (Farmdale, Ohio/ Badger) got on via a Battling Bishop error, and would later score on another error, this one by the left fielder.

Allegheny would not sit on the 1-0 lead, as the team came out swinging in the bottom of the second. Six hits would help plate eight runs. Coccaro started things with a leadoff single to left. Stephanie Lasinski (Gibsonia/ Pine-Richland) attempted to bunt Coccaro over, but since the Bishop throw to second was late, Allegheny had two on and nobody out. Visco was up next, and she beat out the throw to first on her sacrifice effort, loading the bases. Burr was up next, and reached safely on a fielder’s choice, picking up an RBI since the throw home was not in time. The third hit of the inning came off the bat of Sarah Piranian (Mars/ North Allegheny), whose single to left scored Lasinski. Still no outs, and the lead now 3-0, Ohio Wesleyan brought its game one starter back out in relief. A third fielder’s choice would score the fourth Allegheny run, because for the third time nobody was retired on the play. The next two Gators would get hits, Rachel Ryan (West Salem, Ohio/ Northwestern) a two-RBI single, and Rechtin an RBI double. Coccaro, who started the inning with a single, would get an RBI double two batters later, and that would conclude the Gator scoring attack, the score 9-0.

Ohio Wesleyan would find the scoreboard with a solo homerun in the top of the third, and would score again off two hits in the fourth, but that would be all the team would muster off Rechtin.

Hits by Bodenlos and Ryan in the bottom of the fourth eventually led to two more Allegheny runs, enough to help Allegheny win via the mercy rule after five innings of play by an 11-2 final.

Ryan was 3-for-3 in the game with a pair of runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Rechtin went 1-for-2 with one run scored and two RBIs, while Bodenlos went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. The three through five hitters, the trio combined to go 5-for-8 with five runs scored and five RBIs. Coccaro’s two hits in the second helped her to go 2-for-3 with a run scored and a run batted in.

Rechtin allowed two runs on six hits, striking out three without surrending a walk. The Gators had nine hits in 24 at-bats.

For the day Allegheny had no errors, compared to Ohio Wesleyan’s four mishaps.

The Gators are in action again on Thursday, April 27, when the team faces Bethany on the road in a non-conference double-header at 3:30 p.m.

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