2024 PSAC West Champs Softball
Bryce Dolak

Softball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Regional Preview: No. 7 Golden Knights Face PSAC Champion and No. 2 West Chester in Atlantic 2 Regional

No. 7 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (31-13) vs. No. 2 WEST CHESTER GOLDEN RAMS (34-20)
2024 ATLANTIC 2 REGIONAL TOURNAMENT
DATE/TIME:  Thursday, May 9, 2024 I 2:30 p.m.
FACILITY/LOCATION:  UC Softball Field I Charleston, W.Va.
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THE 2024 ATLANTIC 2 REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 9
Game 1 -- No. 6 Bloomsburg (33-22) at No. 3 Charleston (WV) (45-4) – 12 noon
Game 2 – No. 7 GANNON (31-13) vs. No. 2 West Chester (34-20) – 2:30 p.m.
Friday, May 10
Game 3 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 12 noon
Game 4 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 2:30 p.m.
Game 5 – Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 11
Game 6 – Winner Game 3 winner vs. Winner Game 5 – 1:00 p.m.
Game 7 – 1. If the winner of Game 5 defeats the winner of Game 3 – 3:30 p.m.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Separated into two sub-regionals, Charleston (WV) will serve as the host for half of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional, while East Stroudsburg will host the other half of the regional tournament. Action is scheduled for May 9-11.
 
Gannon is the seventh seed in the eight-team regional, earning an at-large berth after finishing as the PSAC West regular season champion.

Joining Charleston (WV), the Mountain East Conference champion, and Gannon in the second sub-regional site will be West Chester and Bloomsburg. Gannon (31-13) will oppose PSAC champion and No. 2 seed West Chester (34-20) at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9. At 12 noon Charleston (WV) (45-4), the third seed, and No. 6 seed Bloomsburg (33-22) meet in the opening game of the tournament.
 
The second sub-regional site will be held at top-seeded East Stroudsburg (45-15). The PSAC runner-up will host CIAA champion and No. 8 seed Bowie State (20-21) in the opening game of the day on May 9. That game will be followed by No. 4 seed Kutztown (33-22) vs. No. 5 Shippensburg (33-19). 
 
THE REST OF THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL TWO FIELD
 
NO. 2 SEED WEST CHESTER GOLDEN RAMS
  • Head Coach: Diane Lokey (21st Season)
  • Overall Record: 34-20
  • PSAC East Record: 18-13
  • NCAA Regional Ranking: Second
  • Batting Average: .303
  • ERA: 3.00
 
WEST CHESTER TEAM NOTES
  • West Chester came in as the number three seed out of the Eastern Division in the PSAC Tournament. The Golden Rams won their third PSAC crown following an 11-7 win over E1 East Stroudsburg. WCU scored 37 runs in its four games.
  • Head coach Diane Lokey is completing her 21st season at West Chester and has led the Golden Rams to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances. Lokey owns a 680-420 record. Including two seasons as the head coach at Elizabethtown she has 714 career victories.  
  • West Chester had three players earn first team All-PSAC East honors with a fourth named to the second team. Outfielder Madison Melvin is now a four-time All-PSAC East honoree. The graduate student leads WCU with a .417 batting average and has 43 stolen bases. Kate Rittenbaugh and Mairead Hopkins were also named to the All-PSAC East first team. A second baseman, Rittenbaugh is hitting .315 with 13 doubles and three home runs. Hopkins is WCU's designated hitter, hitting .354 with a team-leading 10 HRs and 40 RBIs. Grace Aguilar adds 9 HRs and a team-high 51 RBIs, with 15 stolen bases.
  • Danielle Ciliberto leads the pitching staff with a 21-8 record and a 2.34 ERA. She has two shutouts and four saves.
 
NO. 3 SEED CHARLESTON (WV) GOLDEN EAGLES
  • Head Coach: Michelle Frew (3rd Season)
  • Overall Record: 45-4
  • MEC Record: 27-3
  • NCAA Regional Ranking: Third
  • Batting Average: .354
  • ERA: 1.56
CHARLESTON (WV) TEAM NOTES
  • Charleston won its second straight Mountain East Conference championship and second overall title with a 7-2 win over Davis & Elkins. While winning four straight games UC outscored its opponents 26-4.
  • The Golden Eagles come in with a 45-4 record. UC captured three of the four major postseason awards. Michelle Frew was named the Coach of the Year while Hannah Rose was named the Player of the Year and Brianna McCown the Pitcher of the Year.
  • Rose and McCown led a list of seven players who were accorded first team All-MEC honors. Rose, a senior shortstop, is hitting .477 with 6 HRs, 32 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases. McCown owns a 30-3 record and 1.57 ERA. The senior has struck out 247 in 187 innings.
NO. 6 SEED BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES
  • Head Coach: Susan Kocher (14th Season)
  • Overall Record: 33-22
  • PSAC East Record: 18-14
  • NCAA Regional Ranking: Sixth
  • Batting Average: .299
  • ERA: 3.14
BLOOMSBURG TEAM NOTES
•        Pitcher Callie Sowers is now a three-time All-PSAC East honoree after earning first team accolades recently. The junior has a 23-6 record with a 1.40 ERA. She has completed 26 of her 28 starts with six shutouts. In 190.2 innings Sowers has struck out 248.
•           Three other Huskies earned second team honors – second baseman Taylor Kranzley (.317-2 HR-28 RBI), utility/non-pitcher Sarah Yamrick (.317-1 HR-28 RBI), and utility/pitcher Josie Straigis (.314-7 HR-33 RBI).
•        Head coach Susan Kocher is wrapping up her 14th season and has guided the Huskies to eight NCAA Tournament berths. Kocher has a 391-245 record.
 
GANNON IN THE NCAA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Gannon makes its seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2019 when the Golden Knights dropped back-to-back games to West Chester and West Virginia State. Gannon won the Atlantic 2 Regional in 2018, going 3-1 and defeating host West Virginia Wesleyan 9-7 in nine innings in the final game to advance to the Atlantic Region Super Regional. The Golden Knights were denied a first-ever trip to the Softball National Championships with back-to-back losses to West Chester by scores of 8-2 and 8-3.
 
1999
vs. Grand Valley State – L, 2-4
vs. Ashland – L, 1-2
2005                      
vs. West Virginia Wesleyan – W, 4-3
vs. SIU Edwardsville – L, 3-4
vs. Northwood – L, 3-6
2006                      
vs. West Virginia Wesleyan – L, 1-3
vs. Wayne State (Mich.) – W, 4-1
vs. Grand Valley State – W, 7-1
at SIU Edwardsville – L, 3-8
2007                      
vs. Ferris State -- L, 1-6
vs. Gannon -- W, 3-0
vs. Wayne State (Mich.) – W, 2-1
2015                      
vs. Charleston (WV) -- L, 2-3
vs. St. Augustine's – W, 10-2 (5 innings)
at California (Pa.) – L, 4-13 (5 innings)
2018                      
vs. Seton Hill -- W, 10-1 (5 innings)
vs. West Virginia State -- W, 4-2
at West Virginia Wesleyan – L, 1-4
at West Virginia Wesleyan -- W, 9-7 (9 innings)        
at West Chester – L, 2-8 *
at West Chester – L, 3-8*
* at NCAA Division II Super Regional (hosted by West Chester)      
2019                      
vs. West Chester -- L, 2-8
at West Virginia State -- L, 0-1


 
ERIE, Pa. – Gannon is making its seventh appearance in the NCAA Division II Softball Tournament and first since 2019. The Golden Knights will play in the Atlantic 2 Regional in Charleston, W.Va. on Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 11. Gannon comes in as the number seven seed after earning an at-large berth.
 
The Golden Knights (31-13) will play the second game of the day at 2:30 p.m. against PSAC East foe West Chester (34-20). The Golden Rams are the number two seed and earned the PSAC's automatic bid after winning the PSAC championship on Saturday.
 
Thursday's first game features host Charleston (WV) (45-4), the third seed and the Mountain East Conference champion for the second straight year, opposing another PSAC East squad, No. 6 seed Bloomsburg (33-22), at 12 noon.
 
Thanks to a late-season run head coach Michelle Wiley's Golden Knights burst past Seton Hill to claim the PSAC West regular season title with a 25-6 league record. Gannon entered the PSAC Tournament riding an 11-game winning streak. The Golden Knights ended the regular season playing 15 doubleheaders in 23 days.
 
The winning streak was snapped on the first day when Shippensburg rallied for a 10-7 win. The Golden Knights returned immediately to the field and defeated Slippery Rock 6-4. On day two Gannon faced another Western Division foe in California (Pa.). After beating the Vulcans four times in the regular season the Golden Knights came up just short, falling 3-2.   
 
Wiley has done a remarkable job of blending a group of veterans with an impressive array of freshmen. The end result so far has been a 30-win season for the second time in her six years. Gannon finished at 30-19 in her first season at the helm in 2019. For her efforts Wiley was recognized as the PSAC West Coach of the Year last week.
 
Gannon won its first divisional title since 2019 when the PSAC was split up into three divisions and Gannon came in first in the regular season in the Western Division.
 
WILEY NAMED PSAC WEST COACH OF THE YEAR, LENDA PITCHER OF THE YEAR
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its all-conference awards a week ago with Gannon well represented. In fact, the Golden Knights captured two of the four major awards with Michelle Wiley selected the PSAC West Coach of the Year for the second time and Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) honored as the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year. In her sixth season at the helm, Wiley has guided the Golden Knights to 31-13 record, her second 30-win campaign. In 2019 Gannon finished at 30-19 and she was named the Coach of the Year for the first time. She owns a 135-99 career record. Tom Jakubowski is the only other Gannon coach to win Coach of the Year honors, doing so in 2017 and 2018. Lenda, meanwhile, is Wiley's star pupil in the circle. After a slow start the junior ran off wins in 14 straight decisions before suffering a loss in the PSAC Tournament. She has a 15-3 record and a 2.48 ERA. She has completed 15 of her 18 starts with four shutouts. Lenda has thrown 115.2 innings with a team-high 87 strikeouts. The 15 wins are tied for 13th in a season. This is the fourth time a Gannon player has received Pitcher of the Year honors and Lenda is the third Gannon player. Madi Beining was honored in 2018 and 2109 and Olivia Gumbita in 2017.
 
FIVE GOLDEN KNIGHTS EARN ALL-PSAC WEST HONORS
Gannon had a total of five players named to the All-PSAC West squads, all on the first team. In addition to Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) at pitcher, redshirt junior Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) and senior Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford) were named at first and second base, respectively. Both are now two-time honorees after earning second team recognition a year ago. In addition, freshman Emma Smerick (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) landed one of three outfield spots and Gabi Vasi (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East), a senior, was the designated hitter.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
After starting off with losses in four of the first five games, albeit it against strong competition, Gannon picked up steam and won 11 straight games entering the PSAC Tournament despite an extremely busy past few weeks.
 
Head coach Michelle Wiley has been able to blend a group of experienced players with an exciting freshman class. As expected the pitching has mirrored the season, getting off to an uneven start but now throwing plenty of quality games.
 
Gannon ranks second in the PSAC with a team batting average of .338. The Golden Knights are seventh in the conference in home runs (40) and also standing fourth in stolen bases with 76.
 
Gannon only stands ninth in the PSAC in team ERA at 3.91 but Gannon has allowed the third-fewest earned runs in the conference at 157.

Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) emerged as the team's ace in the circle in 2024. The junior was named the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year last week and had won 14 straight decisions before losing in the PSAC Tournament. She owns a 15-3 overall record and 2.48 ERA. She has completed 15 of her 18 starts with four shutouts. In 115.2 innings Lenda has allowed 109 hits and 46 walks with 87 strikeouts.
 
Several other pitchers have stepped up late in the year. Gabi Vasi (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East) is an impact player both in the circle and at the plate. The senior is 7-5 with a 4.40 ERA and five complete games. She earned second team All-PSAC West honors at designated hitter, currently second on the team and eighth in the PSAC with a .424 batting average. She has a team-leading 35 RBIs with five doubles, two triples and three home runs.

Katie Armstrong (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) started off the season as one of the lead hurlers but the freshman missed a considerable amount of time with an injury. She returned recently and was forced to step up at the PSAC Tournament. She has a 6-3 record with a 3.34 ERA. She has struck out 66 in 50.1 innings. Josie Spano (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) (2-1, 5.86 ERA) has been much more effective of late than her numbers suggest.

Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) and Jules Ryan (Collegeville, Pa./Spring Ford) man the right side of the infield and were accorded first team All-PSAC West honors. A year ago they were second team All-PSAC West honorees. Mallozzi, a redshirt junior with a sweet left-handed swing, has raised her average to a team-leading and PSAC-leading .448 thanks to a torrid second half. She has a team-leading 16 doubles, with a triple and four home runs while driving in 33 runs. Mallozzi has also been walked 24 times and has a. 552 on-base percentage.
 
Ryan comes in at .324, one of seven regulars with a .300 average. The senior second baseman is second on the team with 34 RBIs. She has 12 doubles, three triples and three home runs, along with eight stolen bases.
 
Emma Smerick (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) comes in at just below .400 with a .395 batting average. The freshman right fielder has 5 HRs and 27 RBIs, adding 10 doubles, two triples and a team-leading 20 stolen bases. Smerick is 12th in the PSAC in hitting and earned first team All-PSAC West honors.

Had Abbey Girman (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) emerged from a long slump a little earlier she would likely repeated as an All-PSAC West honoree after earning first team accolades last year. But the junior left fielder has awakened in a big way at the right time of the year. Thanks to multiple-hit games in eight of the last 13 games she has boosted her season totals to .328 with 9 doubles, 5 HRs and 29 RBIs. A year ago Girman challenged the season record for home runs, ending the year with 12, but she did not hit her first until April 20. In her last 13 games she has five long balls.

Alaina Whipkey (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) has made a major impact at shortstop after transferring from California (Pa.). The sophomore is hitting .351 with a team-leading eight home runs and 30 RBIs.
 
Two other freshmen have seen considerable action, as well. Bella Atherton (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) has been the top option at catcher and is hitting .301. Jenna Clontz (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) is a power-hitting outfielder who is hitting .337 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs.
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Players Mentioned

Abbey Girman

#23 Abbey Girman

OF
5' 6"
Junior
L/R
Maggie Lenda

#19 Maggie Lenda

P
5' 10"
Junior
R/R
Natalia Mallozzi

#1 Natalia Mallozzi

OF/1B
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/R
Jules Ryan

#37 Jules Ryan

2B
5' 8"
Senior
R/R
Josie Spano

#13 Josie Spano

1B/P
5' 8"
Sophomore
R/R
Gabi Vasi

#27 Gabi Vasi

P
5' 7"
Senior
L/R
Katie Armstrong

#9 Katie Armstrong

P
5' 2"
Freshman
R/R
Bella Atherton

#7 Bella Atherton

C
5' 5"
Freshman
R/R
Jenna Clontz

#25 Jenna Clontz

OF
5' 7"
Freshman
R/R
Emma Smerick

#5 Emma Smerick

OF
5' 6"
Freshman
L/R

Players Mentioned

Abbey Girman

#23 Abbey Girman

5' 6"
Junior
L/R
OF
Maggie Lenda

#19 Maggie Lenda

5' 10"
Junior
R/R
P
Natalia Mallozzi

#1 Natalia Mallozzi

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/R
OF/1B
Jules Ryan

#37 Jules Ryan

5' 8"
Senior
R/R
2B
Josie Spano

#13 Josie Spano

5' 8"
Sophomore
R/R
1B/P
Gabi Vasi

#27 Gabi Vasi

5' 7"
Senior
L/R
P
Katie Armstrong

#9 Katie Armstrong

5' 2"
Freshman
R/R
P
Bella Atherton

#7 Bella Atherton

5' 5"
Freshman
R/R
C
Jenna Clontz

#25 Jenna Clontz

5' 7"
Freshman
R/R
OF
Emma Smerick

#5 Emma Smerick

5' 6"
Freshman
L/R
OF