Gators Drop Pair to Blue Streaks

Mar 28, 2007

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny College Gators fell to 0-12 on the season after dropping a pair of games to the Blue Streaks of John Carroll University in the home opener for the Gators. The Blue and Gold fell 10-2 in the opener and then 12-6 in the nightcap.

In the first game, the teams traded runs to start the game, John Carroll’s coming on an RBI single and Allegheny’s when Eric Rich (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) started the inning with a walk, was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brian Schmidt (Utica, Pa./Franklin), and scored on a fielding error off the bat of Alex Herrnberger (Eighty Four, Pa./Canon McMillan).

John Carroll took the lead for good an inning later when the Blue Streaks added a run to their tally, making the score 2-1. Two runs in the fourth inning and four more in the sixth gave the visitors an 8-1 lead through six and a half innings. The Gators cut into the deficit when Jimmy Fernandez (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring Andy Schleihauf (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville), making the score 8-2 before John Carroll scored two more runs in the top of the seventh to give the game its 10-2 final score.

J.R. Hess (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) was 2-for-3 from the plate, while the team’s other four hits came from different batters. Fernandez drove in the team’s only run, while Rich and Schliehauf each scored. Colt Viehdorfer (Morrisdale, Pa./West Branch) picked up the loss for the Gators, falling to 0-3 on the year, pitching four innings and striking out four while giving up seven hits and four earned runs.

In the nightcap, the Blue Streaks jumped out with an eight-run first inning, before adding two more in the second to push their advantage to 10-0 through two innings. The Gators countered with a run in the bottom of the third inning when Mike Pereslucha (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kiski) scored when Matt Young (State College, Pa./State College) grounded into a double play, cutting the deficit to nine at 10-1. After JCU added another run in the top of the fourth inning, Allegheny put up four runs in the bottom of the fifth, starting when Rich hit a two-run home run, scoring Pereslucha, cutting the deficit to 11-3. Hess’ walk with the bases loaded scored Schmidt, before Herrnberger scored on a wild pitch, taking the score to 11-5.

Another run by the Blue Streaks in the top of the sixth was answered by the Gators when Pereslucha scored on an intentional run-down by Schmidt, giving the game its final score of 12-6.

Hess and Pereslucha were each perfect in the second game from the plate, the former going 3-for-3 and the latter 2-for-2. Rich went 2-for-4, as the trio combined for seven of the team’s nine hits in the game. Pereslucha scored three times for Allegheny, while Rich drove in a pair. Aaron Skalko (Edinboro, Pa./General McLane) picked up the loss for the Gators, pitching two innings and giving up nine earned runs while striking out two. C.J. Knudsen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) Scott Rea (Cleveland, Ohio/Rocky River) pitched in relief, Knudsen giving up one earned run in two innings and Rea one earned run in three innings, while striking out five.

The Gators take to Robertson Field again tomorrow, as they play host to Pitt-Bradford in one nine-inning game beginning at 3:00 p.m.

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