April 9, 2024

Sharp's Home Runs, Solid Pitching Lead Allegheny to Doubleheader Sweep vs. Bethany

Batting

Bethany
2B: none
3B: none
HR: Grant Schaffner
Allegheny
2B: Brady Nolin
3B: none
HR: Jonathan Sharp
full stats

By Kyle Chandler '24

MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The sun was shining on a gorgeous Tuesday afternoon for Presidents' Athletic Conference baseball as Allegheny College battled with Bethany College, winning both games of a doubleheader at Robert M. Garbark Field.

Allegheny won the first game of the series, 11-1, in seven innings before completing the sweep with a 6-1 win in the nightcap.

The Gators (14-7, 6-2 PAC) struck first in both games and never looked back. It is the fourth time they have pulled out the broomsticks, sending the Bison (8-17, 1-7 PAC) home empty-handed.

Allegheny 11, Bethany 1
The offense put up crooked numbers in five of the seven innings played en route to a mercy-rule win. Allegheny struck first blood their first time at the plate when Matt Jennings (Birmingham, Mich./Brother Rice) singled and came around to score on a bases-loaded wild pitch.

The Gators piled on two more in the third, highlighted by William Wolff's (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast) second home run of the year, a solo shot over the left field wall.

The floodgates opened in the fifth inning. Up 3-1, the Blue and Gold tallied four more runs to the scoreboard. Jennings knocked in a two-RBI single up the middle and later scored from third on a balk. JD Robinson (Round Hill, Va./Woodgrove) also scored on a fielder's choice RBI from Wolff, and the game became out of reach.

In the sixth frame, Jonathan Sharp (Chardon, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) blasted his first of two home runs on the day over the left field wall. Closing the game out in the seventh after a pair of runs already touched home, Nico Melograne (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) nabbed his first collegiate base hit while driving home a run to walk it off. 

Walker Cunningham (Cambridge Springs, Pa./Cambridge Springs) put together his best start of the year. The right-hander tossed 7.0 frames of three-hit ball, allowing one unearned run and racking up nine strikeouts for his first victory of the season.

Allegheny 6, Bethany 1
It was another dominant display of pitching for the Gators in the nightcap, featuring another local product. Dawson Thomas (Conneaut, Pa./Conneaut Area) tossed 7.0 innings of one-run ball, surrendering only six hits while picking up five strikeouts and his fourth win of the year.

Thomas was given support by the bats early. Allegheny opened the scoring in the second inning with a Grant Dowden (Ligonier, Pa./Ligonier Valley) single that scored Melograne. Allegheny put one more on the board in each of the next three innings, highlighted by Sharp's laser home run to left, his second of the day. 

The game was put away in the sixth frame. Up 4-0, the offense continued to fire on all cylinders. Dowden stole home on a double steal. On the throw to second base, the Bethany catcher sailed the ball into center field, and he scored uncontested. Later in the frame, the Gators' scoring was finalized with a Robinson RBI single.

Bethany's only run came on a solo homer in the seventh inning, but it was too little, too late.

Inside the Box Score: Game 1

  • Allegheny outhit Bethany 10-to-3.
  • Three of the 11 Allegheny runs were unearned due to the Bison committing four errors in the field.
  • The Gators committed one error in the field and left five men on base. 
  • Jennings paced the Gators with three hits in four at-bats. 
  • Wolff and Jennings each had two RBIs.
  • Cunningham held the Bison to three hits and one unearned run.
  • Cunningham struck out nine and walked two in the seven-inning complete-game performance.


Inside the Box Score: Game 2

  • The Gators edged the Bison, outhitting them 8-to-7.
  • Dowden registered the only multi-hit performance, earning two base knocks.
  • Robinson, Sharp, Dowden, and Brady Nolin (Cumberland, Maine/Greely) each found one RBI.
  • In his second start, Thomas looked sharp, throwing in 7.0 innings and giving up just one run.
  • Thomas commanded the zone with five strikeouts and no walks.
  • John Doney (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Prep) slammed the door in the final two innings, as the senior struck out two and did not allow a run.


News and Notes

  • With the pair of wins, Allegheny moves to 14-7 overall and 6-2 in conference play.
  • The Gators continue to dominate the Bison, winning the last four matchups since rejoining the PAC ahead of the 2023 season.
  • Allegheny continues to lead the PAC with a .317 team batting average.
  • Cunningham picked up his first win of the season and the second of his career.
  • Cunningham's 7.0 innings pitched and nine strikeouts are both single-game career bests.
  • Thomas earned his team-leading fourth win with season-highs in innings (7.0) and strikeouts (5).
  • Jennings extended his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games, while Nolin has reached in 19 straight.
  • Melograne recorded the first two hits of his career on Tuesday and his first collegiate RBI.


Up Next
The Gators will hit the road and head to the Cougars' den on Saturday, April 13, as they prepare to take on Chatham University. The conference twin bill will begin at 1:00 p.m.