Hannah Neal connects with a pitch.
Jeff Kirik
Hannah Neal connects against Clarion.
6
Clarion CLAR-S 16-19, 7-14 PSAC W
10
Winner Gannon GAN-S 14-19, 13-8 PSAC W
Clarion CLAR-S
16-19, 7-14 PSAC W
6
Final
10
Gannon GAN-S
14-19, 13-8 PSAC W
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Clarion CLAR-S 0 0 2 3 0 1 0 6 7 1
Gannon GAN-S 0 2 0 8 0 0 X 10 13 2

W: Vasi, Gabi (6-8) L: Emma Hipps (9-6)

5
Winner Clarion CLAR-S 17-19, 8-14 PSAC W
2
Gannon GAN-S 14-20, 13-9 PSAC W
Winner
Clarion CLAR-S
17-19, 8-14 PSAC W
5
Final
2
Gannon GAN-S
14-20, 13-9 PSAC W
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Clarion CLAR-S 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 5 5 1
Gannon GAN-S 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 1

W: Megan Anderson (6-6) L: Spano, Josie (1-6)

Game Recap: Softball | | Jeff Kirik, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Neal's clutch homer leads Gannon to Game 1 win and doubleheader split with Clarion

Hannah hits three-run homer as a pinch-hitter to give Gannon the lead in opening win

ERIE, Pa. – Gannon hit four home runs and rallied from a three-run deficit to win 10-6 over Clarion in Game 1 of a PSAC West softball doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at McConnell Family Stadium.

The Golden Knights dropped the second game 5-2 as they settled for the split.

Coach Michelle Wiley's team moved to 14-20 overall and 13-9 in the PSAC West. GU is tied for third place in the PSAC West, and the top five teams in the division advance to the PSAC Tournament.

Seventh-place Clarion is 17-19 and 8-14.

Game 1:

Gannon 10, Clarion 6: Hannah Neal's (Woodhaven, Mich./Woodhaven) pinch-hit three-run homer was the biggest of GU's four homers in a Game 1 comeback victory.

Neal's homer – her first of the season – gave Gannon a 6-5 lead and triggered an eight-run fourth inning as the Golden Knights overcame a 5-2 deficit. Neal had only one at-bat this season before she pinch-hit with runners on first and third base. She ripped a shot over the left-field fence to give Gannon the lead.

She finished with a double, homer and a team-high three RBIs.




Lea Coffman (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) hit a home run to lead off the fourth inning to cut the lead to 5-3. Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford) later added a two-run homer in the inning to make it 8-5.

Abbey Girman (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) had another big game for Gannon. She hit her team-leading eighth home run in the second inning, added an RBI double in the fourth inning, and then scored on Ashley Fox's (Cowansville, Pa./Karns City) single.

Girman and Ryan each finished with two RBIs, while Girman, Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic), and Lily Gfeller (Livonia, N.Y./Livonia) joined Neal with two hits apiece in Gannon's 13-hit attack.

Gabi Vasi (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East) (6-8) picked up the pitching victory in relief. She limited Clarion to one earned run on six hits in 3 2/3 innings while striking out six and walking three.

Game 2:

Clarion 5, Gannon 2: The Knights took a 2-0 lead into the fourth inning before watching the Golden Eagles rally for the win.

Clarion pitcher Megan Anderson (6-6) threw a three-hitter while limiting Gannon to two runs, one unearned.

After pitching three scoreless innings, Josie Spano (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) (1-6) took the loss when she gave up three runs in the fourth.

Offensively, Spano led Gannon with two hits and an RBI. Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford) had the other GU hit, while Maddie Krause (North Royalton, Ohio/Holy Name High) drove in a run.

What's ahead:

Gannon is off Friday and Saturday but will host first-place Seton Hill in a doubleheader on Sunday at noon.
 
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