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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
5
Winner John Carroll JCU 4-26
4
Allegheny ALL 24-9
Winner
John Carroll JCU
4-26
5
Final
4
Allegheny ALL
24-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
John Carroll JCU 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 5 7 0
Allegheny ALL 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 7 5

W: Orendi, Danielle (1-14) L: S. Dzierba (5-5) S: Cash, Casey (1)

4
Winner John Carroll JCU 5-26
3
Allegheny ALL 24-10
Winner
John Carroll JCU
5-26
4
Final
3
Allegheny ALL
24-10
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
John Carroll JCU 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 6 3
Allegheny ALL 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 6 3

W: Dems, Kristin (3-9) L: M. Hulse (7-2) S: Cash, Casey (2)

Casey Cash pitching file photo
Emily Medina
Casey Cash tallied two saves to help preserve a pair of JCU wins. 

Game Recap: Softball | | Joe Ginley '16, SID

Blue Streaks Stun Gators, Sweeping PAC's First-Place Gators in Meadville

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The road has not always been easy for John Carroll Softball this season. But you can't doubt the fight of this Blue Streaks team. 

Following a trio of conference sweeps, John Carroll traveled 90 miles for a Monday non-conference series against Allegheny College. The Gators are no slouches, currently tied atop the Presidents Athletic Conference and sporting a 24-8 record entering the day.

Thanks to clutch hitting and steady pitching, the Blue Streaks pulled off an upset sweep of the Gators, 4-3 and 5-4.

In some ways, you could say the Blue Streaks were due. Entering the day, JCU had played 8 games decided by 1 or 2 runs, all ended in losses. That unfortunate streak of luck ended today with a pair of 1-run wins. 

The only unfortunate part of the day was the end of Kaylyn Odelli's 18-game hitting streak, though her 21-game reached base streak lives on, since she got aboard via an error. 

For some historical perspective, digitized softball game-by-game records for John Carroll go back to 2003. Odelli's 18-game hitting streak is the longest in those two decades. With a hit in Game 1, Odelli surpassed Jamie Smrdel, who tallied a hit in 17 straight games in 2006. Fellow JCU Athletic Hall of Famer Mackenzie Griffin's 2011 hitting streak reached 16 games.

Odelli is still chasing several prominent Streaks for the reached base streak crown. Carly Simecek and Alyssa Coleman tallied 22-game streaks in 2015, Griffin achieved 23 games in 2011, and Smrdel is the leader in the modern stats era at 24 in 2006.

Game 1
The Blue Streaks set the tone for the day in the first inning of the first game. With two outs, Kaylyn Odelli walked and quickly advanced to third on a Melissa Smith single and a throwing error. Taylor Morrison slotted a single for the game's first run. 

While an Allegheny homer stole the lead back for the hosts in the bottom of the frame, it didn't last long. A pair of Gator errors helped JCU cross two runs in the second, and the Blue Streaks never relented the advantage.

Danielle Orendi found a rhythm in the circle, allowing JCU to extend the lead in the fourth. Serena Paterno opened with a double and later scored on a Kendall Trunzo sacrifice fly. Elaina Rodriguez reached on an error, and Odelli smacked a single between the right and centerfielders to advance her to third. The junior soon stole second, drawing a throw from the catcher, allowing Rodriguez to run home for the eventual game-winning run. 

Allegheny made things interesting in the fifth. The hosts plated a pair of runs and advanced the game-tying run to second with two outs. But the veteran Orendi coaxed a 5-3 groundout to get out of danger. 

Casey Cash checked into the game in the sixth. The sophomore cruised to the finish line, nabbing her second save of the season and the third of her career.

Meanwhile, Orendi earned a long-overdue first win. The Pittsburgher entered with five losses in her ledger in which she allowed two runs or fewer in five or more innings of work. Regardless, Orendi has been fantastic this season for the Blue Streaks and was rewarded today with the W. 

Speaking of seniors, Paterno achieved her second multi-hit game of the campaign with a 2-for-3 outing.

Game 2
Allegheny struck first with a lone run in the first frame, and for a while, held onto the lead. 

But Kristin Dems soldiered on, mowing down the Gators in the second and third to keep it a 1-run game. Things looked hairy in the fourth inning, however, as the Gators got two runners into scoring position with one out. But on an attempted bunt, Gabby Hougan made a fantastic defensive play, scooping the ball to Melissa Smith, who applied the tag on the lead runner to prevent a run. The next batter popped a grounder to Lexie Genovese, who caught it off the one-hop and stepped on second to escape the inning. 

With a new sense of urgency, JCU's bats awoke in the ensuing half-inning. 

Laney Karpowicz led things off with a double to left, and promptly scored on a Kendall Trunzo single. Back-to-back Allegheny errors loaded the bases, though the Gators responded by nabbing two outs. Enter Gabby Hougan.

The veteran slapped a 2-2 pitch through the right side to plate the two go-ahead runs. For good measure, Genovese tabbed a single up the middle to up the lead to 4-1. 

In the sixth, Allegheny again made things interesting, just like in the opener. The Gators managed to plate a pair to narrow the deficit to 4-3.

But again, Casey Cash got the ball from Alex Lagesse for the save. And once again, the Valley City native came up in the clutch for the save, her third of the season and second of the day. Melissa Smith finished 2-for-4 at the dish, her third multi-hit game of the season.

Up Next
The Blue Streaks will be back at home on Wednesday. John Carroll hosts Hiram for a non-conference doubleheader at 3 and 5 pm. 
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