WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Gannon baseball opened the 2022 season with an 11-8 come-from-behind victory over Findlay (Ohio) on Sunday afternoon in sunny Winter Haven, Florida. The Knights returned to the field later in the evening and dropped a thriller in extra innings against Davenport, 5-4, to open the year with a doubleheader split.
 
Game 1: Gannon 11, Findlay 8 | Box Score
 
Gannon used a seven-run, seventh inning to take the lead and never trailed again in an 11-8 season-opening win over Findlay (Ohio) on Sunday afternoon at the Russ-Matt Invitational in Winter Haven, Florida. Gannon finished the game with 13 hits, including two doubles, two triples and a home run during the victory.
 
Gannon third-baseman Ryan Kalbfus (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) was just a single shy of hitting for the cycle during Gannon's season opener. He hit a two-run home run in the sixth, tripled with three RBIs in the seventh, and doubled down the right-field line in the eighth.
 
In addition to Kalbfus' big day at the plate, Miguel Vega (Florida, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) doubled, and Jorge Mejia (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Colegio San Jose) tripled during the victory for the Knights. Kalbfus drove in five runs for the Knights, while Kieran Gagnon (Mono, Ontario/Westside) added two, and Luke Callahan (Chardon, Ohio/Chardon), Mejia and Vega added one apiece. Gagnon went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases and Vega went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base.


 
In the top of the seventh with Findlay leading 7-4, Kalbfus stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and drilled a triple down the right-field line that scored Ian Hess (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan), Brandon Wetherholt (Gibsonia, Pa./Mars Area) and Gagnon. The trio each got on base after being hit by errand pitches.
 
Two batters later with Kalbfus still at third, Mejia blasted another triple into center field that gave the Knights the lead for good. With Gannon leading 8-7, the Knights added three more runs in the inning. Following his triple, Mejia didn't remain at third for long as he scored on a wild pitch to give the Knights a 9-7 lead. Gagnon made it 11-7 later in the inning with a double into left center that scored Vega and Brandan Rea (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan).
 
Findley plated one more run in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice fly, making the final score 11-8 in favor of the Knights.
 
Eric Sapp (Deerfield, Ohio/Southeast) made the start for Gannon and pitched five innings, allowing four runs on five hits and striking out eight. Matthew Graeber (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) (1-0) pitched the sixth and seventh and earned the win for the Knights, while Kevin Schott (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) took the hill in the final two innings. The Gannon pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts in the victory.


Game 2: Davenport 5, Gannon 4 (Final/11 innings) | Box Score
 
Gannon returned to the field on Sunday night and fell in an 11-inning thriller against Davenport, 5-4, at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Florida.
 
Trailing 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, Gannon would plate two runs in the inning to knot the score at 4-4. Kalbfus drove in the first run of the inning on a single to left field that scored Ian Hess (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) from third. Later in the inning, Trey Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) drove home Kalbfus on a fielder's choice to even the score at 4-4.
 
Davenport put runners on third in the top of the ninth and tenth innings, but Gannon stranded the runners in each inning to force an 11^th frame. Zeroski also got on base in the bottom of the 10^th for the Knights and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches. However, two consecutive strikeouts by Davenport pitcher Ricky Clark ended the 10^th inning.
 
In the top of the 11^th, Davenport's Christian Petre singled to leadoff the inning and later advanced to second on an overthrown pickoff attempt. After two outs by Gannon on a pop-fly and strikeout, Petre scored following a fielding error during Nolan Anspaugh's at-bat.
 
In the bottom of the 11^th, Gannon's Brandon Wetherholt (Gibsonia, Pa./Mars Area) singled to leadoff the inning and later advanced to second on a walk to give the Knights two base runners. However, a Davenport strikeout and double play gave the Panthers the win.
 
Wetherholt and Kalbfus led the Knights at the plate with two hits apiece in game two.
 
Deven Judy (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon Area) made the start for the Knights and pitched six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out five. Jacob Visha (Cleveland, Ohio/Trinity) pitched the seventh for the Knights.
 
Joseph Reitebach (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg) (0-1) suffered the loss for Gannon despite giving up just one run and three hits during his four innings of work. The 11^th inning run he surrendered was unearned. The trio of Gannon pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts in the game.
 
Gannon will return to the field on Monday evening for a second game against Findlay, beginning at 6 p.m. Live stats will be available HERE.