Taylor Raybuck

WOOSTER, Ohio – Allegheny College's pitchers were tough to hit Thursday, as The College of Wooster was limited to just nine hits and three runs in 6-0 and 8-3 setbacks to the Gators in a North Coast Athletic Conference softball doubleheader.

The opening game pitted two of the NCAC's better pitchers in the circle, and Jenn Horton and Caitlin Nealer lived up to the billing, as neither ace had allowed a run entering the sixth inning.

Ironically, it was Nealer that broke up the scoreless tie with her work at the plate, as she drove in a run with a hard hit single up the middle that gave the Gators (10-12, 3-1 NCAC) a 1-0 lead. Then in the seventh inning, Allegheny's bats exploded for five runs on five hits, including another big hit from Nealer that plated a pair, turning what was a closely-contested game into a surprising 6-0 setback for the Scots (11-9, 0-2 NCAC).

Nealer struck out 10 batters and allowed just one hit to Demi Hart in the win. Meanwhile, Horton was well on her way to another strong outing, as she had allowed just three hits through the first five innings, before giving up seven hits over the final two frames.

Allegheny's offense continued rolling to start the nightcap, as Sadie Stuart and Stephanie Fort hit back-to-back home runs as part of a three-run first inning.

The Scots weren't able to respond in the bottom of the first, but Hart provided a highlight with her sixth triple of the spring, which broke the Scots' single-season record for triples. Previously, three others had hit five triples in a season, most recently, Lauren Swinehart a year ago.

The Gators tacked on another three runs in the second inning to take an early 6-0 lead, but Wooster made its move in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded (Erica Villa, Hart, and Horton), Carly Schoenstein hit a triple to deep left center field to score all three runners and pull the Scots within 6-3.

That was as much as Wooster could cut into the deficit, though, as Allegheny then subbed Nealer in for Hannah Olenik, and she proceeded to keep the Scots off the scoreboard in the sixth and seventh innings, although Taylor Raybuck was able to hit a standup triple down the left field line in the sixth.

Also noteworthy, Allie Webb pitched the final five innings for Wooster and allowed just four hits against the previously red-hot Gators' lineup.

Hart paced Wooster with four hits on the day to bring her batting average to .387 on the season, while Raybuck went a perfect 3-for-3 in game two.

Next, Wooster hosts Hiram College (6-12, 0-0 NCAC) in a doubleheader Saturday that begins at 1 p.m.