WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Allegheny baseball squad had an early wake up call, as they traveled to Chain Of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida for a double header against the Hornets of Kalamazoo. 10:00 am was the scheduled first pitch, and the Hornets came ready to play sweeping the Gators 7-5, and 7-1.
Allegheny started off strong game one strong, plating two in the top of the first to grab a quick 2-0 lead. The action started with two out when Mike Kastelic beat out an infield single. He would move to second on a Lowmaster single through the middle. Mike Pezzone followed that up with a walk to load the bases. Jon Boyd would drive in to with a single to right center, scoring Kastelic and Lowmaster.
However, the Hornets would answer with a four run inning in the bottom of the first, taking their own two-run lead.
Allegheny would cut the lead to one in the top of the third when a Mike Pezzone double to left center, scoring Kastelic for the second time. Unfortunitey, that would be as close as the Gators would get as Kalamazoo would add two in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a commanding 7-3 lead.
Allegheny would mount a late rally, plating two in the top of the seventh, but Kyle Davis would pop up to second to end the game and Kalamazoo would take game one 7-5.
Game two saw Allegheny struggle early on the mound, and from start to finish at the plate as the Hornets jumped out to a commanding 5-0 lead two innings in.
The bright spot for Allegheny would be the relief pitching of Samuel Hyun. Hyun pitched 3.2 innings of three hit ball, striking out one.
Allegheny would get on the board for the only time in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI ground out by Jon Boyd to score Aaron Lynch. However, the Hornets would be too much for Allegheny on this day, taking game two 7-1 to complete the two game sweep.
Kastelic would end the day going 3-7, with a double and three runs scored. Pezzone would finish the day going 2-5, including the teams only hit in game two, with a double and one RBI. Finally Boyd would end the day 1-7, but would drive in four runs as Allegheny drops to 2-6 on the season.
The Gators will have two days off, as they will rest and get ready for three straight double headers to close out their spring trip. Allegheny will be back at it Thursday, March 22 when they will take on Bowdoin at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 pm.