BUTLER, PA.  --  The Hiram College baseball team split the first of two scheduled North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheaders against Allegheny (Pa.) College losing to the Gators, 6-3 in game one, but winning 8-5 in the nightcap at Pullman Park in Butler, Pa.

In game one, the score remained 0-0 until the bottom of the third inning when Allegheny (11-5, 1-1 NCAC) scored a run on a defensive error.  The Gators went on to add another run in the fourth and then broke the game open with a four-run fifth to lead 6-0.  Hiram (4-10, 1-3 NCAC) looked to rally scoring three runs in the top of the sixth highlighted by a two-RBI single by senior All-NCAC catcher/pitcher Tim Calhoun (Canfield) that cut the deficit in half, 6-3.  Following a scoreless bottom of the sixth by Allegheny, Hiram would get runners on second and third in the seventh, but with two outs.  The Terriers would hit into the game-ending out before getting any additional runs home allowing the Gators to hang on for the 6-3 final.

Hiram out-hit Allegheny, 7-4, and had two players record multi-hit games.  Junior infielder Ron DeAmicis (Austintown/Fitch) ended the game two-of-three and scored a run and junior outfielder Jeff Segal (West Bloomfield, Mich./North Farmington) posted a two-for-four effort in addition to scoring a run.

Junior J.T. Taylor (Niles) started on the mound for Hiram and pitched five innings allowing six runs on four hits and struck out four batters.  He was also given the loss and is now 1-3 overall for the season.  Fellow junior Tanner Gilchrist (Ellwood City, Pa./Lincoln) pitched the final inning in relief and allowed no runs or hits.

In the nightcap, Hiram struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning on a pair of defensive errors.  The Terriers added two more runs in the fourth thanks to a two-RBI single by junior All-NCAC catcher/infielder Jim Jaksa (Chesterland/West Geauga) to make the score 4-0.  But Allegheny rallied with four unanswered runs, including two runs in the bottom of the fourth and two runs in the fifth to even the score at 4-4.  Hiram took the lead back in the sixth on a RBI-single by sophomore infielder Trevor Foster (Warren/Champion) and crossed the plate three times in the seventh that included a two-RBI single by junior Jaren Bell (Rochester, N.Y./Brighton) to make the score 8-4.  Allegheny got one of the runs back with a run in the bottom of the eighth, but that would be all the scoring for both teams the rest of the way as Hiram claimed the 8-5 victory.

Hiram out-hit Allegheny, 11-5, in game two and had four players finish the game with two hits.  Segal and Foster both finsihed two-of-four with Segal adding a run scored and Foster scored a run and a RBI.  Bell and Jaksa both finished two-of-five at the plate.  Bell also scored a run to go along with two RBI, while Jaksa added two RBI.

At pitcher, freshman Brandon Chesmar (Elyria/Amherst Steele) started the game and pitched five innings giving up four runs on four hits and had three strikeouts.  Chesmar would also end up with the win and improves to 2-0 overall for the season.  Gilchrist pitched an inning of relief allowing one run on one hit.  Calhoun pitched the final inning to close the game and get the save giving up no runs and no hits and had one strikeout.

Hiram will wrap-up the four-game series against Allegheny tomorrow (Sunday, Apr. 6) with a second NCAC doubleheader.  The twinbill will be played on Allegheny's campus in Meadville, Pa. with the first game scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.