CLERMONT, Fla. – After an entire preseason of indoor practice, the Gannon offense has been nothing short of spectacular during its spring softball trip. The Lady Knights erupted for another nine runs on 11 hits en route to a 9-3 victory against St. Anselm Thursday morning at the National Training Center Games in Clermont, Florida. Gannon completed another sweep with a 5-3 win against Cedarville later in the day.
A pair of four-run outbursts was more than enough for Gannon to earn the victory against St. Anselm. After falling behind 1-0, the Lady Knights tied the game on
Kirstie Cortazzo's (Jeannette, Pa./Jeannette) RBI single that scored
Samantha Scott (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay) during the bottom of the third inning.
Gannon bolted ahead 5-1 with a four-run fourth inning.
Alyssa Bates (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) and
Katy Roose (Shelby Township, Mich./Notre Dame Prep) led off the frame with singles, before an error loaded the bases. Scott then cleared the bases with a grand slam.
After St. Anselm tallied a single run during the top of the sixth, Gannon put the game away with another four-spot in the bottom of the inning.
Caitlyn Colucci (Lancaster, N.Y./Sacred Heart) started the scoring with a one-out homer.
Alexa Archambeault (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads) then followed singles by Cortazzo and
Meghan Cunha (North Kingsville, Ohio/Edgewood) with a three-run blast. Archambeault's first career homer gave the Lady Knights a commanding 9-2 lead.
St. Anselm added one more run during the top of the seventh inning, before the final out gave Gannon a 9-3 victory.
Scott led a trio of Lady Knights with two hits, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs. Archambeault went 2-for-4 with one run and three RBIs. Roose had two hits in three at-bats, scoring once.
Megan Dragon (Astabula, Ohio/Edgewood) remained perfect on the mound, improving to 5-0 this week. The senior righthander allowed three runs on five hits while going the distance, striking out 11 and walking none.
In the nightcap, all the scoring was done during the opening 3 1/2 innings. The two teams exchanged a pair of runs each during the first inning. Gannon struck first after Scott and Colucci kicked off the game with consecutive singles before both moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Cortazzo rewarded the strategy with a two-run double.
As was the case in the first inning, both teams copied each other during the second inning with one run each. The Lady Knights generated their run when Bates ripped a lead-off double and scored on Scott's two-out RBI single.
Gannon snapped a 3-3 tie with single runs during the third and fourth innings.
Jess Rectenwald (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) led off the third by reaching on an error and scored the go-ahead run on Cortazzo's RBI double. Roose added an insurance run during the fourth when she beat a throw home after an infield grounder.
Scott and Cortazzo had the hot hands against Cedarville. Scott finished 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Cortazzo went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Three different Lady Knights toed the rubber.
Erica Bartholow (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville Area) was credited with the victory, pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief to earn her second win. Dragon picked up her first save of the season after striking out the last two hitters of the contest.
Gannon improved to 7-1 with Thursday's sweep. St. Anselm dropped to 1-4 while Cedarville fell to 8-5. The Lady Knights continue play at the NTC Games Friday, March 8 against St. Rose (N.Y.) at 9 a.m. and Wilmington (Del.) at 11 a.m.
