BUTLER, Pa.:  The Allegheny baseball team improved to 9-5 on the year with a non-conference doubleheader sweep of Keuka College at historic Pullman Park.  In the opener, nine different Gators tallied at least one hit, and Allegheny scored in all but two innings, en-route to a 13-4 victory.  In the nightcap, Brandon Ellis made three first inning runs hold up, as the Gators pulled out a 4-2 win.

After spotting the Storm (0-5) an early 2-0 lead in the first, Allegheny (9-5) answered in a big way in the bottom of the second, scoring seven runs and sending 12 men to the plate.  Mike Kastelic racked a two-run double, with Zach Gray adding a two-run single, to propel the Gators to a 7-2 advantage.

An inning later, Allegheny added to its lead, scoring three more times.  Adam Bronson led off the frame by getting hit by a pitch, and moved to second on a Ben Kirchler sac bunt.  A bunt single by Kyle Davis put runners on the corner, before Kastelic singled through the right side to bring home Bronson and make the score 8-2.   A grounder by Zach Gray would bring home Davis, while Kastelic would then score on a wild pitch to put the Gators in front 10-2.

In the home half of the fourth, Davis and Joe Killian each picked up RBI singles with two outs, pushing the Gator advantage to 12-2, before a two-out RBI double from R.J. Baker in the sixth would plate Allegheny's final run.

The run support was more than enough for starter Stephen Ramsdell, the reigning North Coast Athletic Conference and National D-III Pitcher of the Week.  The lefty shook off the early deficit, and ended with a line of three runs on five hits, with three striekouts, in six innings, improving to 3-0 on the year.  Frank Brank came on in relief in the seventh to close out the win.

Kastelic led the way offensively for the Gators, going 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, two stolen bases, and three RBI's.  Davis was a second Gator to post a multi-hit game, finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored.  It was the fifth time this season that Allegheny eclipsed the 10-run mark, while the Gators posted 12 hits,  the seventh time this season that they reached double-figures in the hit column. 

Keith Prestano was the lone Keuka player to post multiple hits in the opener, going 2-for-2 with a double, two walks, and two runs scored.  Kyle McVanan started on the hill and took the loss, going 1.1 innings and allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks

In game two, the Gators again totaled 12 hits, but had to overcome 10 men left on base to  win 4-2.

Allegheny looked as if it would continue its offensive prowess from the opener, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first.  With one out, Davis singled and Kastelic walked, and both were brought home on a Killian triple to straightaway center.  Gray would follow with a sac fly to left, scoring Davis and pushing the Gator lead to 3-0.  

After Keuka answered with a run in the home half of the second, the game would turn into a pitcher's duel.  Ellis was masterful in the middle innings, facing just two batters over the minimum between the third and sixth frames, striking out three and inducing nine ground ball outs over the span.  Meanwhile, Allegheny posted five hits, and added two walks and a hit batsman, but Keuka starter Jeremy Pyszczynski managed to keep the Gators off of the scoreboard.

Allegheny would finally add some insurance in the bottom of the sixth. A leadoff, stand up triple by Ben Kirchler off the wall in center chased Pyszcynski, while Davis would greet the Storm reliever with an RBI single up the middle through a drawn-in infield to push the Gator lead to 4-1. 

Keuka scored one unearned run in its half of the seventh, before Ellis induced two more groundouts to end the game and seal the Gator sweep.

All nine Allegheny starters had at least one hit in the nightcap, with Davis going 3-for-4 and Kirchler 2-for-4.  Killian reached base three times, as he walked twice to go with his early triple.   Ellis earned the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and striking out six without issuing a walk.  Remarkably, every out was recorded via either strikeout or groundout, with no outfield putouts.

Keuka's six hits were recorded by six different players, with Tom Fowler scoring twice and Arek Olson picking up the lone RBI for the Storm.  Pyszczynski was saddled with the loss, giving up four runs on 11 hits, with four strikeouts. 

The Gators will now have six days off before returning to action next weekend, as they open NCAC play with a four game set at Hiram.