THE RUNDOWN
Game One Score: at California (Pa.) 12, Gannon 2 (5 inn.)
Records: GU (21-9, 15-4 PSAC West) | CAL (25-9, 19-5 PSAC West)
Game One Box Score
Game Two Score: at California (Pa.) 6, Gannon 2
Records: GU (21-10, 15-5 PSAC West) | CAL (26-9, 20-5 PSAC West)
Game Two Box Score
Location: Lilley Field | California, Pa.
The Short Story: The Gannon softball team was swept by California (Pa.) Friday at Lilley Field in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division action. The Lady Knights fell to the West Division leading Vulcans, 12-2, in five innings before dropping a 6-2 loss to the host squad.
 
GAME ONE SCORE: at California (Pa.) 12, Gannon 2 (5 inn.)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED  |  GAME ONE
- California (Pa.) captured a 6-0 lead over Gannon in the bottom of the first. Among the six runs scored, three of the runs came off a double by Hailey Wilson before Megan Jahoda hit a two-RBI home run to center field.
- The Vulcans extended their lead to 8-0 in the bottom of the second on back-to-back solo home runs from Lindsey Reicoff and Shelby Heyd.
- Gannon got on the board in the top of the fourth with a solo shot from sophomore Jen Moran (West Mifflin, Pa. / Fox Chapel). It marked Moran's second home run this season.
- Redshirt senior Katie Dunn (Clarkston, Mich. / Troy) led off the top of the fifth with another solo blast for the Lady Knights to trim the Vulcans' lead back to 8-2. Dunn's home run was her second of the season and third of her career.
- Cal managed to capture a 12-2 victory in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four runs to secure the win in five. An RBI-single by Reicoff opened the Vulcans' scoring before Heyd hit her second home run of the game. The three-RBI home run earned the Vulcans' a walk-off victory to open the doubleheader.
 
GAME NOTES  |  GAME ONE
- Gannon was outhit by California (Pa.), 12-4. The four hits came courtesy of Moran, Dunn, senior Meghan Cunha (Geneva, Ohio / Edgewood) and junior Alexa Archambeault (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads).
- Dunn and Moran each accounted for a run and an RBI with their solo home runs.
- Junior Alison Benz (Orchard Park, N.Y. / Mount Mercy Academy) (3-4) recorded the loss in 4 1/3 innings. Benz struck out two batters in the process, allowing six earned runs.
 
GAME TWO SCORE: at California (Pa.) 6, Gannon 2
 
HOW IT HAPPENED  |  GAME TWO
- Gannon earned an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first in game two. Senior Jess Rectenwald (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Hills) led the inning off with a double before a pair of quick outs left her stranded on base. An RBI-single by junior Alyssa Bates (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield) gave the Lady Knights a one-run lead.
- California (Pa.) tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second on a solo home run by Jahoda, her second of the day.
- The Vulcans extended their lead to 4-1 with three runs off RBI-base hits in the bottom of the fifth.
- In the bottom of the sixth, Cal pushed its advantage to 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Heyd scored the run on an RBI-double down the left-field line, driving in Reicoff.
- A single down the right-field line by Archambeault opened the top of the seventh. After forcing a Vulcans' pitching change, junior Rachel deGuia (Canal Fulton, Ohio / Northwest) put runners in scoring position. Rectenwald hit an RBI-single up the middle to score Archambeault from third, cutting into the Vulcans' lead 6-2.
 
GAME NOTES  |  GAME TWO
- Rectenwald went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Bates collected the Lady Knights' other RBI in the loss.
- Cal held a 14-6 advantage at the plate.
- Rectenwald (7-4) recorded the loss in 4 1/2 innings of action. She surrendered four earned runs on 11 hits, striking out one batter. Sophomore Olivia Gumbita (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) entered the game in relief, pitching 1 1/3 innings. Gumbita struck out three batters, allowing two earned runs on three hits.
 
UP NEXT
Gannon will play back-to-back PSAC Western Division doubleheaders at home April 25 and 26. The Lady Knights face Seton Hill Saturday afternoon, with game one set for 2 p.m. The day will mark Senior Day for Rectenwald and Cunha.