Jenn Horton

The College of Wooster softball team dropped a pair of closely-contested games to North Coast Athletic Conference foe Allegheny College, as the Scots' late comeback attempt fell short 5-3 in the opener, and in the nightcap, Jenn Horton was a tough-luck loser in a 2-1 extra-inning setback Tuesday evening at Meadville, Pa.

In game one, The Gators (17-4-1, 4-0 NCAC) tacked on runs in the first, third, and fifth innings to take a 5-0 lead. Finally, in the seventh inning, the Scots (13-7, 0-2 NCAC) began to rally, as Erica Villa drove in Paige Goldberg with an RBI single. Villa then stole second, which led to Skye Patterson plating her with a deep double to center field.

Later in the inning, Horton singled to advance Patterson to third base, but Allegheny committed an error, allowing Patterson to come around and score to make it 5-3. Although Lauren Swinehart singled on the very next at bat, Allegheny eventually escaped the jam and notched the victory.

The nightcap was a pitcher's duel that saw Wooster light up the scoreboard first, when Horton drove in Goldberg in the third inning to give the Scots a 1-0 lead. The Gators answered back in the fourth inning, when Stephanie Fort smacked a solo home run that tied the game.

The game remained tied at 1-1 into the eighth inning, until Fort made Wooster pay once again, this time drawing a walk, and then later, scoring on a fielding error that decided the outcome. Horton had been nearly unhittable the entire game, going 7.2 innings and allowing just five hits and one walk, while fanning two batters.

Offensively, Horton, Goldberg, and Villa each recorded three hits on the day. Rachel Frank drew a pair of walks in the opener, and Swinehart went 2-for-4 at the plate in the night cap.

For Allegheny, Fort also homered twice in the first game, giving her three bombs on the day.

Wooster will be back in NCAC action Friday when it travels to Hiram College for a doubleheader. The opener is scheduled for 4 p.m.