Gator Baseball Cruises in Non-Conference Action

Apr 27, 2006

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

ERIE, Pa. – The Allegheny College baseball team improved to 14-18 overall today with a double-header sweep of the Penn State Behrend Lions (22-12-1). The Gators won the first game by a final of 4-1, before rolling to a 9-3 win in the second contest.

Allegheny starting pitcher Jon Schmitt (Bolivar, N.Y./ Bolivar-Richburg) started the game strong, looking solid through the first three innings, facing just one batter over the minimum through the first trio of innings..

In the top of the fourth the Gators would find the scoreboard, taking a 1-0 lead. Eric Rich (McMurray/ Peters Township) led the inning off with a walk, before Matt Young (State College), the clean-up hitter, would get his second single of the game to advance Rich to third. Rich would score one batter later, as Zack Oblak (Harrison City/ Penn-Trafford) rocketed the ball down the line off the third baseman’s glove to pick up his 14th RBI of the year.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Schmitt would give up a leadoff single, with an error moving the runner to second. Craig Misiewicz (Bethel Park) relieved Schmitt, and immediately surrendered a bunt single, putting runners on the corners with one out. The ensuing ground ball was mishandled by the Gator second baseman, scoring the Lion runner, knotting the game at one apiece.

In the top of the sixth the Blue and Gold would regain their lead for good, as a leadoff walk to Young and a pair of groundouts put two outs on the board with a runner in scoring position. Pete Obourn (Farmington, N.Y./ Victor) followed with a double to left-center for the sixth Gator hit and 2-1 Allegheny advantage.

The Gators added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh, as a Dirk Bonessa (Pittsburgh/ Shady Side Academy) walked, a Rich singled, and a hit by pitch by Young loaded the bases with one out. After a force out at home putting two outs on the scoreboard, Brandon Skoff (Carnegie/Chartiers Valley) singled in a pair of runs, giving Allegheny a 4-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Three straight outs secured the victory for the Gators, their fourth consecutive win, tying the longest win streak of the season.

Schmitt picked up the win, improving to 3-5 on the year, going four innings and allowing just one run on three hits. Misiewicz went the final three innings of the game, allowing just one hit while picking up his first, and the team’s second, save of the year.

In all, the Gators collected eight hits, led by Young and Napiecek, who each went 2-for-2, while Skoff drove in a pair.

The Gators started the nightcap quickly, as Skoff was hit by a pitch to start the second inning, before a Mark Matsko (Beaver) walk, and a Matt DeGiovanni (Pittsburgh/ Mt. Lebanon) singled loaded the bases. Zachary Skowvron (Georgetown/ South Side Beaver) drove in Skoff with a walk, keeping the bases full in the process, as Brian Schmitt (Bolivar, N.Y./ Bolivar-Richburg) followed with a single, scoring two before advancing to third on an error by the pitcher during the same play. Rich doubled, scoring Schmidt, giving the visitors a 4-0 lead after two innings.

The Lions would not back down, scoring two runs in their half of the second inning, cutting the deficit in half on a pair of unearned runs. Another run by the hosts in the bottom of the third inning closed the Allegheny lead to the slimmest of margins.

Allegheny answered in the top of the fourth inning, scoring five runs and putting the game out of reach with a trio of innings to play. DeGiovanni would walk to kick start the fourth, before a sacrifice bunt by Skowvron moved him into scoring position. Schmidt would collect his second hit and third run batted in of the game with a stand-up double to left, pushing the Gator lead back to two runs at 5-3. Rich’s second double of the game would follow, bringing home Schmidt before Oblack picked up the team’s third straight hit, reaching first on a bunt single before Young would walk to load the bases. Rich scored on a passed ball, as Oblak also crossed the plate, as the throw from the catcher went awry, pushing the Allegheny advantage to 8-3. Skoff ended the scoring with a sacrifice fly, giving Allegheny a five-run lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

Now holding onto a 9-3 lead, the Gators were able to cruise, as Drew Scibetta (Glenshaw/ Shaler Area) came in to pitch the final three innings, striking out five of the first six batters he faced in the fifth and sixth, before hitting a rough patch, allowing a pair of runs on four hits in the seventh, but it was too little, too late for Behrend in the 9-5 Allegheny win.

Steve Swierczynski (Allison Park/ Hampton), who pitched the third and fourth innings, picked up the win for Allegheny, the first victory of his career, improving him to 1-0 on the season. Schmidt, Rich, Oblack, and DeGiovanni each picked up a pair of hits in the game.

Allegheny’s final double-header of the year comes against John Carroll on May 2, as the team travels to University Heights, Ohio with the first pitch set for 2:30 p.m.
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