ERIE, Pa. – Junior right-hander
Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) pitched a four-hitter to carry the Gannon softball team to a 3-2 victory over Seton Hill in Game 1 of a PSAC West doubleheader split on Friday.
Lenda worked out of a seventh-inning jam after Seton Hill put the tying runner on third with one out as she claimed her 10th win in a row in the opening game at McConnell Family Stadium. Seton Hill bounced back to win the second game 9-0 while ending GU's five-game winning streak.
Gannon, which has won nine of its past 11 games, improved to 19-11 and remained in second place in the PSAC West with a 14-6 record. First-place Seton Hill moved to 32-10 overall and 20-4 in the PSAC West. The teams also split a doubleheader on March 29 in Greensburg.
Game 1: Gannon 3, Seton Hill 2
Lenda improved her record to 11-2 by keeping SHU's potent lineup off-balance throughout Game 1. She struck out seven and walked three, and worked out of several Seton Hill scoring threats.
Seton Hill took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Nina Grandey opened the game with a bunt single, stole second base, and eventually scored on Morgan Toal groundout.
Gannon tied it up in the bottom of the inning when leadoff hitter
Emma Smerick (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) walked and scored on a double by
Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford). The Golden Knights scored again as Smerick and
Alaina Whipkey (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) hit back-to-back singles and Smerick scored on Ryan's sacrifice fly.
Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) then drove home Whipkey with a groundout to give GU a 3-1 lead.
Grandey's RBI single in the fifth inning trimmed the lead to 3-2.
Lenda protected the lead the rest of the way as she got Mackenzie Zang to ground out and struck out Grandey to end SHU's seventh-inning scoring threat. It was Lenda's second win of the season against the Griffins.
Game 2: Seton Hill 9, Gannon 0
Seton Hill ace Logan Hartman pitched a shutout against Gannon for the second time this season as she scattered six hits to improve her record to 18-3. She struck out nine Knights and walked none.
Six different Gannon hitters had one hit, but Gannon was unable to push across a run.
Grandey gave Seton Hill a 1-0 lead in the third inning when she homered off Gannon starter
Katie Armstrong (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) (2-2). The Griffins added a run in the fifth inning and erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning. Abby Smearman had the biggest hit for SHU with a three-run double.
Smerick,
Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford), and
Mia Ryan (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) each had a double for Gannon.
What's ahead:
Gannon will host a PSAC West doubleheader for the third consecutive day when the Golden Knights welcome California (Pa.) at 3 p.m.