MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Allegheny College baseball team split a home doubleheader against Grove City College on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Robert M. Garbark Field. The Gators (12-7, 4-2 PAC) took the opening game from the Wolverines (11-9, 2-2 PAC) by a 9-4 score, but were shut out in the nightcap in an 8-0 loss.

Allegheny 9, Grove City 4
It was an ominous beginning to the early game, as Grove City's Sam Bevin took the first pitch and went yard for an early 1-0 lead. However, following the home run, Brent Herrmann (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) retired the next 17 batters he faced and did not allow a baserunner until the sixth inning.

The Wolverines scored three runs in the top of the seventh, which finally chased the senior southpaw from the mound. But the lead didn't last long. In the home half of the seventh, the Gators loaded the bases with only one out. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch forced home the tying run, and JD Robinson (Round Hill, Va./Woodgrove) took the lead with a two-run double in the next at-bat. 

Tommy Landsnes (Richmond, Va./Brunswick Academy) plated one more run in the seventh, and a two-out error allowed the Gators to add two more insurance runs in the eighth. Leading by five, John Doney (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Prep) was called from the bullpen. Despite allowing a lead-off base hit, Doney got a called strike three on the next batter and induced a game-ending double play.

Grove City 8, Allegheny 0
The Gators scored nine runs on 11 hits in the first game but could not solve Grove City's Evan Umland in the nightcap. Umland limited the Blue and Gold to five hits and did not allow a run in 7.0 innings on the mound.

Two of Allegheny's best scoring chances came via extra-base hits in the third and fourth. Matt Jennings (Birmingham, Mich./Brother Rice) tripled in the third, and Nick Banez (Edmonds, Wash./Meadowdale) doubled in the fourth, but both hits came with two outs. The Gators put two on base in the ninth with hopes of spoiling the shutout, but the game ended on a double play.

Mark Schweickert (Richmond, Va./John Randolph Tucker) looked strong on the mound in the early going. He held the Wolverines without a run in the first three frames, and even after a three-spot in the top of the fourth, the righty returned for a scoreless fifth. Schweickert took the loss with six total runs charged to his name in 5.1 innings.

Inside the Box Score - Game 1

• Allegheny outhit Grove City, 11-to-7, in the first contest.
• Six Gators had a hit, led by Robinson, who was 3-for-4 with two doubles.
• Robinson, Jennings, and Banez each drove in two runs.
• Tyson Bryant-Dawson (Oakland, Calif. Manvel (Texas)) was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
• Dawson Thomas (Conneaut, Pa./Conneaut Area) earned the win with 1.1 innings in relief of Herrmann.

Inside the Box Score - Game 2

• The Wolverines finished with twice as many hits, 10-to-5.
• Three of Allegheny's five hits went for extra bases with doubles from Robinson and Banez and a triple from Jennings.
• After committing a combined five errors in the first matchup, the defenses only made one error in the late bout.
• Of the three relievers Allegheny utilized, Douglas Malcolm (Austin, Texas/Austin) had the longest outing with 2.1 innings of work.

News and Notes

• Allegheny improved to 12-7 overall and 4-2 against conference opponents following Sunday's twin bill.
• The Gators are 8-2 in their last 10 games and 7-1 at home this spring.
• Thomas earned his third win of the season, tied for the most on the team.
• Jennings and Robinson extended their hit streaks to 12 and nine games, respectively.
• Jennings has also reached base safely in all 19 games so far this season.

Up Next
The Gators are home on Tuesday, April 9, for a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader against Bethany College. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.