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Gators Split in Spring Break Opener
March 18, 2007
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Allegheny College Gators split their spring break opener at the Osceola County Sports Complex (OCSC) on Sunday afternoon, picking up a thrilling 2-1 win over Hamilton College before falling to Otterbein by a 14-11 score.
The squad used a pair of hits, from junior Sarah Reilly (Dunkirk, N.Y./Dunkirk), who also had the team’s only run batted in, and a stellar pitching performance from freshman Alicia Morley (Sinclairville, N.Y./Cassadaga Valley) to pace the team in their win over Hamilton. Morley struck out nine in the game, and faced just one batter over the minimum, scattering two hits, one of which ended in a caught stealing.
The Gators threatened in each of the first two innings, putting a runner on third base, but could not bring in a run, sending the teams to a 0-0 tie through two innings. In the fourth inning Hamilton struck first as catcher Amber O’Conner took a Morley pitch and put it over the outfield wall, giving the visitors on the scoreboard a 1-0 lead.
Allegheny countered with a run in their half of the fifth inning when Reilly, who reached on a fielders choice, and was moved to third after a single and a wild pitch, scored on an error by the shortstop, knotting the game at a run apiece. The Gators scored again an inning later when Maggie Bodenlos (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) walked and then advanced to third on an error by the first baseman, before being driven in by Reilly, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead.
The Gators sat Hamilton down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh inning to clinch the win.
Reilly and Crystal Ptacek (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) were each 2-for-3 from the plate for the Gators in the win, as eight of the nine Gator batters reached base in the game.
Against Otterbein, the Gators reached the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning when Abby Bodenlos (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) hit a single, was advanced to second on a sacrifice, stole third and was driven in on an error off the bat of Rebecca Burns (Rogersville, Pa./West Greene), giving Allegheny a 1-0 lead.
Otterbein countered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, taking a 3-1 lead, before the Gators answered with three more in the top of the second, as Emmalynn Sigrist (Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville North) singled to start the inning, and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Reilly followed with a walk before Abby Bodenlos sacrificed Sigrist and Reilly to third and second, respectively, before Elizabeth Burr (Farmdale, Ohio/Badger) singled up the middle, scoring the aforementioned pair. On the play Burr advanced to third on an error by the Cardinal center fielder, and was driven in when Ptacek singled up the middle, giving the Gators a 4-3 lead.
Otterbein then answered with innings of three, two and three runs in the second, third and fourth innings, opening an 11-4 lead through four innings. After holding the Cardinals scoreless in the fifth inning, the first time the hosts had been held scoreless in an inning for the contest, the Gators scored four runs in the top of the sixth when Reilly singled and stole second base, before Burr also singled, scoring Reilly. After Ptacek struck out but advanced to first after a wild pitch on the swinging strike, Rachel Ryan (West Salem, Ohio/Northwestern) hit her first home run of the season to left field, bringing the Gators to within three at 11-8.
The Cardinals came back with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning before the Gators attempted a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning as Abby Bodenlos singled, scoring Sigrist, cutting the deficit to 14-9. Bodenlos followed with a steal, her 29th consecutive without being caught, a feat that is now tied for the 19th longest such streak in Division III softball history. After a groundout by Burr scored Reilly, Ptacek singled, driving in Bodenlos, cutting the deficit to three at 14-11. That would be as close as the team would come, however, as the squad fell by three to the squad from Westerville, Ohio.
Ptacek led the team with three hits, giving her five on the day in eight at-bats, while four others, Abby Bodenlos, Burr, Ryan and Sigrist each had a pair of base knocks. Reilly walked three times, recording no official at-bats, but scored three times to lead the team. Morley picked up the loss, pitching four innings in the afternoon finale, striking out six but allowing seven earned runs.
The Gators, now 2-6 on the year, next face off against Illinois Wesleyan on Monday, March 19 at 1:00 p.m.