Josie Spano watches the ball after putting it in play against Mecyhurst.
Jeff Kirik
3
Gannon GANNON-S 19-28
5
Winner Mercyhurst MERCY-S 32-20
Gannon GANNON-S
19-28
3
Final
5
Mercyhurst MERCY-S
32-20
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Gannon GANNON-S 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 3 8 4
Mercyhurst MERCY-S 4 0 0 1 0 0 X 5 8 0

W: M. Hilty (18-8) L: Lenda, Maggie (10-12) S: A. North (2)

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

Golden Knights Eliminated in Day Two of PSAC Tournament

QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Gannon softball team saw its season come to a close on Thursday afternoon with a 5-3 loss to crosstown-rival Mercyhurst in an elimination-round game in the PSAC Tournament at Veterans Park. The Golden Knights, the number five seed in the Western Division, had opened the tournament with a 6-2 loss to Shippensburg on Wednesday morning, but came back later in the day with a 9-7 upset of West Chester, the top seed in the Eastern Division.

As has been the case of late, the Golden Knights were done in by the big inning against a Mercyhurst team that is the number two seed out of the Western Division. They were also guilty of four errors. The Lakers scored four times in the bottom of the first inning thanks to four hits and four errors.

After that sophomore Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) (10-12) settled in and allowed a Lakers' team that leads the PSAC in hitting to just one more run and four more hits. Just two of the five runs scored against her were earned. She did not allow a walk.

While Lenda held Mercyhurst at bay after the initial inning, the Golden Knights battled back but were unable to come up with the big. Gannon got on the scoreboard with single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford) doubled to left center with one out in the third inning, moved up to third on a single by Josie Spano (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy), and scored on Abbey Girman's (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) sacrifice fly. Ryan was stranded at second.

In the fourth, Lili Gfeller and  Lynn Porter (Hanover, Mass./Ardrey Kell) opened with singles. Following an out, a Lea Coffman (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) single loaded the bases. Andrea Watson (Venus, Pa./Cranberry Area) drove in Gfeller with a sacrifice fly on a foul out to left field, but runners were left on first and second.

Mercyhurst answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth to boost the lead back to 5-2, but Gannon threatened with another run in the top of the fifth. Spano, a freshman, opened the inning with her sixth home run of the season to center field, and Girman followed with a double to left field. That was Gannon's last hit, however.

Gannon and Mercyhurst both finished with eight hits. Spano was the lone Golden Knight with multiple hits, going 2-for-4.

Gannon was making its 12th straight appearance in the PSAC Tournament. The Golden Knights finished with a 19-28 record and were 17-15 in the PSAC West.
 
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