JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Gannon softball team closed the regular season on a roll on Sunday as the Golden Knights can now look ahead to this week's PSAC playoffs.
The Golden Knights, who secured the PSAC West title on Saturday, swept Pitt-Johnstown 12-2 and 6-1 on Sunday at Pitt-Johnstown Softball Field to close the regular season on an 11-game winning streak. Gannon won the PSAC Western Division with a 25-6 record and closed the regular season with a 30-11 record. The Knights have won 21 of 23 since having a 9-9 overall record and a 4-4 PSAC West mark.
Gannon will open the playoffs as the No. 1 Western seed on Wednesday at Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. The Golden Knights will have a first-round bye before meeting the winner of the game between Shippensburg (4E) and IUP (5W).
Here's a look at Sunday's doubleheader sweep:
Game 1: Gannon 12, UPJ 2, 5 innings
Alaina Whipkey (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and
Abbey Girman (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) each hit two-run homers in the third inning as Gannon scored five runs to blow open a one-run game. Whipkey later added a two-run double as she finished with four RBIs, and Girman added an RBI single to finish with three RBIs.
Leadoff hitter
Emma Smerick (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) had two hits and scored three runs, while
Gabi Vasi (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East) and
Ashley Fox (Cowansville, Pa./Karns City) added two hits apiece in Gannon's 15-hit attack.
Brenna Cassidy (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) capped Gannon's scoring with a two-run, pinch-hit single.
Freshman pitcher
Katie Armstrong (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) pitched a five-inning complete game for the Knights. She allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out seven and walking one. She improved to 5-2.
Tori Radvan and Julia Money homered for UPJ, which dropped to 7-35 and 4-26.
Game 2: Gannon 6, UPJ 1
Josie Spano (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) pitched a five-hitter to earn the pitching win, and Gannon scored six times over the final two innings to secure its 30th win of the season.
The game was scoreless in the sixth inning when Vasi hit a two-run single to put Gannon ahead for good. In the top of the seventh inning, the Golden Knights scored four times on a two-run single by
Emma Smerick (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) and RBI singles by
Bella Atherton (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) and
Alaina Whipkey (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny). Smerick, Whipkey, Vasi, and Atherton each finished with two of GU's nine hits.
Spano scattered five hits while improving her record to 2-1. She struck out two and walked none while allowing a single run in the sixth inning.