THE RUNDOWN
Score: Charleston (W.Va.) 3, Gannon 2
Records: UC (37-12) | GU (28-15)
Box Score
Location: Lilley Field | California, Pa.
The Short Story: The fifth-seeded Gannon softball team dropped a 3-2 decision to fourth-seed Charleston (W.Va.) in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Sub-Regional Friday afternoon at Lilley Field hosted by top-seed California (Pa.). The Golden Eagles scored three runs in the third to erase the Lady Knights' one-run lead before holding on to edge GU. The Lady Knights are making their first appearance at the national tournament since 2007 and first trip as a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) member.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Opening with back-to-back scoreless innings, Gannon captured a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Senior Jess Rectenwald (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Hills) led off the inning with a double into center field. Junior Alyssa Bates (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield) drove in Rectenwald on an RBI-double to left field to take the one-run lead.
- Charleston (W.Va.) answered back in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs on the board and a runner parked at second, the Golden Eagles' Kelly Browning located the gap in left-center to tie the game at 1-1 with an RBI-double. An RBI-single by Ayla Santos handed UC a 2-1 advantage before adding an insurance run on another RBI-single by Katelyn Hamilton.
- In relief of Rectenwald, sophomore Olivia Gumbita (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) shut down the Golden Eagles' offense despite entering the game with zero outs. Putting runners on first and second, UC popped up into a double play with freshman Allie Salerno (Hamburg, N.Y. / Hamburg) tossing the ball over to junior Alyssa Bates (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield) to tap first for the quick outs. Gumbita closed the inning with a strike out.
- Gumbita's strong-relief appearance continued into the sixth, as she picked up two of the final three outs by striking out a Golden Eagle.
- Looking to complete the rally in the top of the seventh, the Lady Knights came up one run short. Junior Alexa Archambeault (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads) doubled off the left-field wall to open the Lady Knights' last at bat. An RBI-double in the left-center gap by Rectenwald, her second of the day, drove in Archambeault to put the score at 3-2.  
 
GAME NOTES
- Rectenwald went 2-for-4 with an RBI-double. Both hits were doubles, pushing her season total to 10.
- Archambeault and Bates also collected doubles.
- Charleston (W.Va.) held an 8-6 advantage at the plate.
- Rectenwald (12-6) tossed four innings, allowing three runs off seven hits. Gumbita pitched two scoreless innings, surrendering zero runs off one hit. She also collected three strikeouts in her two-inning appearance.
 
BEYOND THE BOX
- Gannon received votes in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 Poll.
- The Lady Knights earned its first appearance in the national tournament since 2007 and first trip as a PSAC member.
 
UP NEXT
Gannon will face eighth-seed Saint Augustine's in an elimination game Saturday at 1 p.m.