Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 The John Carroll baseball team made its annual sojourn to Beckley, West Virginia, to face rival Allegheny College in a three-game set Saturday and Sunday at Linda K. Epling Stadium.

JCU took two of the three games, and outscored the Gators, 39-23.

The Blue Streaks have started their season in Beckley in seven of the last nine years, skipping 2015 and 2016. It began as a series with Case Western reserve in 2012, and then involved the Spartans and Gators in 2013 and 2014. Since 2017, it has been a three-game series with just Allegheny, and JCU is now 8-4 against Allegheny over the last four seasons in the games played at Epling Stadium.

Game 1 - John Carroll 16, Allegheny 9

The Blue Streaks trailed, 7-6, heading into the top of the seventh inning when John Carroll erupted for nine runs in the frame to win going away. Amazingly, the Blue Streaks only needed two hits After Justin Hanley was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and no outs, David Ferguson came through with a two RBI single to jump start the rally. 

The other hit in the inning, which also plated two runs, was struck by Aaron Zawadzki, who scored Sam Heaton and Benjamin Surman. 

In all, JCU batters drew five walks and were hit by three pitches in the inning. There was also a passed ball and an error that contributed to the scoring.

Ferguson and Hanley each had three RBI, while Ferguson and Zawadzki had three hits apiece. Zawadzki and Heaton led the Blue Streaks by each scoring three runs.

Jack Bennett earned the win in relief. He pitched two innings, allowing just one run (unearned) and striking out three while walking none.

Game 2 - John Carroll 18, Allegheny 5

The nine inning explosion in the first game paled in comparison to the 13-run inning of this contest.

JCU led 5-0 after two innings, but Alegheny pulled to within 5-3 by plating three runs in the top of the third.

That was when the Blue Streaks bats became lit.

Ferguson started things off with a one out single, and was still in first with two outs when Danny Murphy singled to keep the inning alive.

Bennett, playing third base in this game, ripped a triple to left field to score two runs, making the score 7-3.

Surman, Heaton and Joe Charpentier followed with singles to push the score to 9-3, after which Zawadzki tripled to right field, scoring two and pushing the lead to 11-3.

The onslaught continued with hits by Ferguson (single), Matthew Springer (double), Bennett (single), Surman (single), Heaton (single) and Zawadzki on their second time batting in the inning. When the dust settled, the John Carroll lead was 18-3.

Bennett finished the game with six RBI, officially going 3-3 at the plate with three runs scored. Heaton was 3-6 with three RBi and two runs scored. Zawadzki was 2-4 with three RBI, and Ferguson was 3-3 with three runs scored. Murphy (three runs), Surman (two runs) and Springer (two runs) all crossed the plate multiple times. 

John Merrill worked five innings as the starter and got the win, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits, striking out four while walking four. Kasey Anzelc, Joseph Smith, and Riley Pavlik worked the final four innings, allowing just one run on two hits

Game 3 - Allegheny 9, John Carroll 5

The Blue Streaks appeared on their way to a second consecutive season opening sweep of the Gators when they built a 5-1 lead after 3 1/2 innings. But Allegheny chipped away at the John Carroll lead, and then used a five run bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead for good.

Two errors early in the inning set the tone, and Allegheny delivered some hits late in the inning to take their first win from JCU since 2018.

John Carroll's bats cooled considerably on Sunday, as the Blue Streaks managed just six hits. Michael Anderson had two of the six, while Hanley was the lone player on the JCU side two have multiple RBI (two). The Blue Streaks were held hitless over the final five innings.

Matthew Aukerman started the game but did not escape the fourth inning. Henry Haracz and Jack Lubor finished the game in relief, with Lubor taking the loss.

John Carroll finished the weekend batting .354 as a team, with Zawadzki (.500), Bennett (.500), Ferguson (.462), Surman (.429), Springer (.400) and Anderson (.375) all batting above the team average. Heaton led the way with six runs scored.

As a team, the JCU pitching staff turned in a 4.50 ERA. Mitchell Midea, who started game one but did not get a decision, had the strikeout high with five.