Ian Hess vs. UPJ
Bryce Dolak
3
Winner Pitt-Johnstown 546 7-11, 1-0 PSAC W
2
Gannon 246 5-9, 0-1 PSAC W
Winner
Pitt-Johnstown 546
7-11, 1-0 PSAC W
3
Final
2
Gannon 246
5-9, 0-1 PSAC W
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Pitt-Johnstown 546 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 8 1
Gannon 246 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 8 0

W: Ben Briggs (2-2) L: Borrello, Kyle (0-1)

5
Pitt-Johnstown UPJ-B 7-12, 1-1 PSAC W
6
Winner Gannon GAN-B 6-9, 1-1 PSAC W
Pitt-Johnstown UPJ-B
7-12, 1-1 PSAC W
5
Final
6
Gannon GAN-B
6-9, 1-1 PSAC W
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Pitt-Johnstown UPJ-B 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 5 4 1
Gannon GAN-B 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 1 6 11 0

W: Graeber, Matt (2-0) L: Austin Hammerle (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Vega, Hess Lead Gannon Rally as Golden Knights Split Doubleheader with UPJ

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon baseball team came back in dramatic fashion to earn a split of its doubleheader with Pitt-Johnstown on Friday afternoon. The twinbill was the opening of the PSAC West campaign for both teams and was also Gannon's home opener at McConnell family Stadium.

They ended up playing a pair of one-run games, with UPJ coming back for 3-2 win in the opener before the Golden Knights rallied from a 5-0 deficit to hand the Mountain Cats a 6-5 defeat in eight innings in the nightcap on Miguel Vega's (Florida, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) base hit. Gannon is now 6-9 while UPJ is 7-12.

The two teams were originally scheduled to play the second doubleheader in the four-game series on Saturday, but a less than favorable weather forecast forced the next two games in Johnstown to be played on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.

Game 1 – Pitt-Johnstown 3, Gannon 2
Kieran Versaw-Barnes vs. UPJGeorge Mason transfer Kieran Versaw-Barnes (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) made his first start as a Golden Knight and pitched into the sixth inning. The righthander held the Mountain Cats scoreless over the first five innings but he was pulled following a leadoff single to start the sixth. Evan Harrison (Mississauga, Ontario/St. Aloysius Gonzaga S.S.) relieved and was greeted by a two-run homer to left field by Asher Corl to tie the score at 2-2. The Mountain Cats pushed across the winning run in the top of the seventh on a two-out double. Gannon had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning thanks to an RBI single by Kieran Gagnon (Mono, Ontario/Westside). The Golden Knights had four of their eight hits against Ben Briggs in the inning but could manage just one run. Briggs was able to pitch out of bases loaded, no outs jam. Gannon's lead grew to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth on Brendan Koroly's (Mars, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) RBI ground out to drive in Cam Vozel, who led off the inning with a walk. Ryan Kalbfus (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) and Jared Bielanin (Erie, Pa./McDowell) paced the Golden Knights with two hits in three at bats. Versaw-Barnes went five innings, allowing five hits and striking out three without any walks.

Game 2 – Gannon 6, Pitt-Johnstown 5 (8 inn.)
The Mountain Cats appeared well on their way to sweeping the doubleheader when a two-run home run in the top of the fifth boosted their lead to 5-0. Gannon finally broke the ice in the bottom of the frame after having five hits in the first four innings but failing to score. The Golden Knights pushed across four runs, with one scoring on an infield single by Miguel Vega (Florida, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) and the final three on a three-run blast over the left centerfield fence by Ian Hess (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan). The redshirt senior now has two home runs this year and 31, the school record, for his career. The Golden Knights still entered the bottom of the seventh trailing by a run, but wildness by the UPJ bullpen helped tie the game. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, and with one out Ryan Kalbfus (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Gannon looked to win in regulation but left the bases loaded. Big righthander Matt Graeber (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) came in to pitch the eighth and retired the Mountain Cats in order. With one out in the bottom of the inning Connor Rakow (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) was hit by a pitch and Branden Myers (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) walked. Trey Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) was hit by a pitch to load the bases forcing UPJ to pull the infield in. Vega's texas-leaguer blooped into right center to score Rakow with the winning run. Graeber picked up the win to improve to 2-0. Kevin Schott (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) threw the first four innings and Jaret Boyer (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) the next three, with Boyer holding the Mountain Cats to one run. After hitting double in the first game Hess had a double and a home run, along with walk, in three bats in the nightcap. Vega, meanwhile, snapped out of a slump with 4-for-4 effort while reaching base five times. Gannon finished with 11 hits in the second game.      
 
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