ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon University softball team has been looking for timely hits all season.

On Tuesday evening, the Golden Knights got a clutch blast off the bat of Maddie Krause (North Royalton, Ohio/Holy Name High) when they needed it most.
 

The junior belted a walk-off two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Gannon a dramatic 4-3 victory over Edinboro in Game 2 of a doubleheader at McConnell Family Stadium.

The win gave the Knights a doubleheader split against the Fighting Scots (7-7, 1-1), who won the first game 5-3.

Gannon had struggled during its season-opening southern trip before returning home with just one win. A lack of clutch hitting in several of those games had cost GU a chance for victories.

Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader was another example of that as Edinboro delivered several clutch hits, including a two-run homer by Stephanie Krick and a pair of RBI base hits by Cheyenne Shughart.

Gannon appeared to be on its way to a victory in Game 2 after the Golden Knights broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth inning. Ashley Fox (Cowansville, Pa./Karns City) hit an RBI single and Lea Coffman (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) scored on a wild pitch in the inning.

That two-run lead looked secure behind the pitching of junior Gabi Vasi (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East), who cruised through the first five innings. However, Maya Kozup's two-run double in the sixth tied the game, and Kozup then scored on a wild pitch to give Edinboro a 3-2 lead.

Gannon's Josie Spano (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) pinch-hit to open the bottom of the seventh inning and singled to the hole at second base. After Lauryn Rougeux (Erie, Pa./McDowell) popped up, Krause came to the plate.

She worked the count to 3-2 and then lined a deep shot to the opposite field. The ball cleared the right-center field fence, lifting Gannon to the one-run victory. It was the first collegiate home run for the third baseman/outfielder, and it was Krause's first walk-off home run of her softball career.

"That was pretty awesome," Krause said a few minutes after her teammates jubilantly mobbed her at home plate to celebrate the victory. "I was just looking for anything I could get a barrel on. It worked out pretty well for me, I guess."

Krause said she didn't even know she had hit a home run until she had rounded first base and was heading for second base.

"I didn't think it actually go out of there, and then I saw Coach Taylor (Welch) jumping up, so I was like, 'Oh, I think that's gone,'" Krause said with a smile.
 

"I knew that we weren't going to give up," Vasi said. "It was such a close game. For Maddie, that was just so amazing. It was just awesome to see."

Vasi pitched an outstanding game, going all seven innings while striking out a career-high 10, walking only one and limiting Edinboro to the three runs on eight hits.

Gannon moved to 2-12 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC West.

"I think it's really just a testament to how hard we've worked these last three weeks and to see everything come together today," said Krause, who finished the game with two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs.  "Gabi pitched a phenomenal game, our outfield was playing solid defense, and bench was in it, so it was just really good to have a team win. I feel like that was the energy and momentum we needed to keep pushing forward."

Gannon's ability to bounce back after seeing its two-run lead evaporate showed the character of the team, Vasi said.

"It just shows we have grit and persevere throughout all seven innings," she said.

Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) led Gannon with two hits in the opener, while Abbey Girman (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) and Lea Coffman (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) each drove in a run.

Gannon will go on the road for doubleheaders at IUP (Friday), Pitt-Johnstown (Saturday), and Clarion (March 28) before returning home against Seton Hill on March 31.