EDINBORO, Pa. – The Gannon University softball team's four-game winning streak was snapped by one swing of a bat on Friday by Edinboro University, as the Fighting Scots' Maya Kozup hit a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to win game one, 3-2. Edinboro followed that up with a game two victory, 4-1, behind a seven-inning, three-hit, and nine strikeout performance by the Scots' Lauren Bush.
 
The Golden Knights scattered seven hits in game number one, including two from second baseman Nicole Bush (Painesville, Ohio/Lake Catholic) (2-for-4 with a RBI), with Gannon starter Kennedy DeMatteis (Boyers, Pa./Moniteau) striking out six and only allowing two hits to the Scots, including the decisive one that ended the game. The Knights could only muster three hits in game two (a double from Kristina DeMatteis (Boyers, Pa./Moniteau) and singles from Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford) and pinch-hitter Kennedy DeMatteis (Boyers, Pa./Moniteau)) while Edinboro totaled six hits and rode a three-run fifth inning to get the eventual win.
 
Gannon won't have much time to dwell on the losses, with another doubleheader on deck for Saturday, April 23 versus Clarion University beginning at 2:00 p.m. The Golden Knights will celebrate Senior Day and honor six student-athletes: seniors Megan Dietrick (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) and Rebecca Tatone (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) as well as fifth-year seniors Nicole Bush (Painesville, Ohio/Lake Catholic), Kennedy DeMatteis (Boyers, Pa./Moniteau), Kristina DeMatteis (Boyers, Pa./Moniteau), and Lyndsey Lakatos (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler Area).
 
GAME ONE: EDINBORO 3, GANNON 2
The Golden Knights jumped out to an early lead in the third inning by finally stringing some hits together—Lauryn Rougeux (Erie, Pa./McDowell) reached with a one-out single up the middle to get things started, and back-to-back singles from Dietrick and Bush loaded the bases. A deep fly ball to centerfield from Kristina DeMatteis (Boyers, Pa./Moniteau) was enough to get the sacrifice and allow Rougeux to score for the 1-0 lead. Gannon added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, with pinch-hitter Lindsay Schmidt (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillian) leading off the inning with a single through the right side. Schmidt eventually got to third base after a Rougeux sacrifice bunt and a Dietrick groundout and was promptly driven in by a clutch two-out hit by Nicole Bush (Painesville, Ohio/Lake Catholic).
 
Edinboro struck back in the bottom of the seventh, though, with a double from Cheyenne Shughart and a walk putting two runners on, and the homer from Kozup over the left field fence ending the game in favor of the Scots.
 
GAME TWO: EDINBORO 4, GANNON 1
It was Edinboro striking first in game two, finally getting to Gannon starting pitcher Rebecca Tatone (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) after she had pitched four scoreless innings, striking out seven along the way. A pair of singles from Mackenzie Quider and Maura Pasquale and back-to-back doubles from Kendra Keyser and Kayla Terwilliger were enough to do all the damage, plating three runs and chasing Tatone from the game. Gabi Vasi (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East) entered in relief and induced a pop-up and a fly-out to limit the damage to just three runs.

Gannon's last chance to salvage things came in the top of the seventh, and the team did answer the call. Kristina DeMatteis (Boyers, Pa./Moniteau) led things off with a double to center field and advanced to third on a passed ball. A Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford) single up the middle brought her home to make it a 4-1 game but that's as close as the Golden Knights would come.