INDIANA, Pa. – Abbey Girman (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) and Josie Spano (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) had a big first game and then combined to deliver the winning run in Game 2 as the Gannon University softball team claimed a split in a PSAC West doubleheader against IUP on Sunday.

The Crimson Hawks rallied for a 9-5 victory in Game 1 before the Golden Knights pulled out a 4-3 win in 10 innings in Game 2 at Podbielski Field.

Girman finished the doubleheader 4-for-7 with a home run, three runs scored and five RBIs. Spano went 3-for-8 with a homer, RBI and three runs scored.

Gannon moved to 3-13 overall and 2-2 in the PSAC West. IUP is now 3-13 and 1-3.

Game 1
IUP 9, Gannon 5: The Golden Knights led 5-3 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Crimson Hawks rallied for six runs in the bottom of the inning to pull out the victory.

Girman singled home two runs in the first inning as Spano and Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) scored. Gannon increased its lead to 3-0 in the third inning when Spano launched a solo home run to center field.

After IUP tied the score with three runs in the bottom of the third inning, the game remained tied until the top of the sixth. Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) reached on an error to open the inning, and Girman followed with a home run to right field to give Gannon a 5-3 edge.

However, IUP used four hits and three walks to score six times in the bottom of the inning. The big hit was a go-ahead, two-run single by Madeline Miller. Lexi Dawson then provided three insurance runs with a base-loaded double.

Girman led Gannon with two hits, a run scored and four RBIs. In addition to her solo home run, Spano doubled and scored three runs.

Lenda (1-3) entered the game in the fourth inning and took the loss.

Game 2
Gannon 4, IUP 3: Spano drove in Girman with the go-ahead run on a groundout in the 10th inning before GU's Gabi Vasi (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East) finished off her complete-game outing for the pitching win.

The game was tied at 3-3 going into the 10th inning, and Girman started on second base due to the international tiebreaker rule. Lea Coffman (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) then put down a sacrifice bunt to move Girman to third base.

Spano then followed with a grounder to third base. Girman went home on contact and scored by avoiding the catcher's tag with an elusive slide at home.

Gannon tied the game 2-2 in the third inning. Lauryn Rougeux (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Maddie Krause (North Royalton, Ohio/Holy Name High) opened the frame with back-to-back singles, and after both baserunners advanced on a wild pitch, Andrea Watson (Venus, Pa./Cranberry Area) lifted a sacrifice fly.

Later in the inning, Ashley Fox (Cowansville, Pa./Karns City) doubled to score Girman, who had walked.

IUP took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth before Girman delivered a clutch hit in the seventh inning. Krause singled and Watson doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs before Girman singled to left field to score the tying run. However, Gannon was unable to push across the winning run in the seventh.
The score stayed tied until the 10th.

Vasi (2-5) claimed her second consecutive victory by pitching all 10 innings and limiting IUP to three runs on eight hits. She struck out nine and walked one. She was helped by two strong defensive plays by third baseman Maddie Krause (North Royalton, Ohio/Holy Name High) in the 10th inning as IUP was unable to get tying run home from second base.

Gannon will return to action Tuesday when it visits Clarion for another PSAC West doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.