Gators Take Two in Florida

Mar 17, 2008

McDANIEL BOX SCORE | SUNY-GENESEO BOX SCORE

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – First-year Gator Amanda Downey (Essex Junction, Vt./Essex) picked up the first shutout of her career, pitching a two-hitter against the McDaniel Green Terror, as the Gators (3-4) needed just four and a half innings to win 12-0 over McDaniel College (5-3) in the opening game of day at the Rebel Spring Games before Allison Korotkin (Birmingham, Mich./Detroit Country Day) repeated the task, shutting out SUNY-Geneseo (2-2) 8-0 in the nightcap, scattering two hits and striking out a pair.

In the opener, it was Downey’s pitching gem that was the story of the game, as the first-year Gator struck out two, scattering just two hits in the game. She faced just one batter over the minimum, as each of the McDaniel batters that did record a hit later got out via a double play.

After McDaniel went 1-2-3 to start the game in the top of the first inning, the Gators reached the scoreboard with five runs in the first inning, the first coming when Abby Bodenlos (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) singled and promptly stole second base, her third steal of the season and 60th of her career. She advanced to third on a passed ball, and then caught the Green Terror defense napping by taking the extra base on the throw from the catcher to the pitcher, scoring the eventual game-winning run. Liz Burr (Farmdale, Ohio/Badger) doubled to left field, scoring on a Marci Potuzko (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area) single. After a Rachel Ryan (West Salem, Ohio/Northwestern) pop-out, Katie Wills (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) walked and Maggie Bodenlos (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Downey helped her own cause by singling, driving in Potuzko and Wills. Maggie Bodenlos scored the final run of the inning on the team’s second passed ball, giving Allegheny an early 5-0 lead.

McDaniel picked up their first hit of the game in the second inning as leadoff batter Karyn Curley singled to left field, before Brittany King grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. The Blue and Gold were held scoreless in the bottom of the second inning, and kept the Green Terror off the scoreboard in the top of the third.

After a scoreless inning, the Gators scored again when Rebecca Burns (Rogersville, Pa./West Greene) singled in Wills. Allegheny tacked on six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Blue and Gold opened the inning when Wills singled in Potuzko, followed by Ryan scoring on an error by the McDaniel third baseman, taking the Allegheny advantage to 8-0. Burns picked up her second and third RBI of the game when she drove in Maggie Bodenlos and Wills with a single to left field, taking the lead to 10-0. Kristin Paul (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) knocked in Burns with a pinch-hit single, before Abby Bodenlos grounded out to second base, scoring Downey for the game’s final run.

McDaniel’s rally attempt started well in the top of the fifth inning, when leadoff hitter King singled to center field, before the next batter, Kate Phelan, hit a line drive to Abby Bodenlos at second base, who tossed the ball to her sister Maggie at first base to complete the double play. Downey struck out pinch-hitter Brittany Jarboe to pick up the first shutout of her young career.

Wills led the way for the Gator offense by going 2-for-2 while Burns and Downey were each 2-for-3 and Burr 2-for-4. Burns drove in a team-leading three runs, with Downey adding two, as Wills crossed the plate three times, one ahead of Potuzko and Bodenlos who each scored two times.

The shutout theme continued in the day’s nightcap, with Korotkin allowing just two hits and walking one while striking out a pair in the strong effort, dropping her season ERA to 2.60.

Allegheny got their first run of the second contest when Wills opened the second inning with a single and then stole second base. Korotkin reached base via a fielder’s choice, with the Blue Knights allowing the run via an error by Geneseo first baseman Megan Pogemiller.

After going scoreless in the third inning, the Blue and Gold tallied a pair of runs in the fourth frame when Wills singled, and then scored when Maggie Bodenlos’ sacrifice bunt attempt was miss-handled by the Blue Knights, allowing Wills to score and putting Bodenlos on third base. Korotkin aided her own cause by reaching on a fielder’s choice, scoring Bodenlos and giving the Gators a 3-0 advantage.

Another run in the fourth inning came when Wills drove in Burr with a single, pushing the Allegheny advantage to 4-0. The floodgates opened in the sixth inning, with the Gators doubling their run total. Potuzko singled in Abby Bodenlos to begin the scoring run, before Ryan singled in Bodenlos. Wills drove in her second run of the game when she singled to right center, scoring Potuzko as Maggie Bodenlos ended the scoring when she drove in Ryan.

Wills was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, improving her batting to 6-for-6 on the day. Potuzko and Maggie Bodenlos were each 2-for-3 from the batters box, while Wills scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs.

The squad takes to the diamond tomorrow where they will face off against Illinois Wesleyan at 9:00 a.m. and Clarke at 11:00 a.m.

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