Alaina Whipkey vs. SRU
Bryce Dolak
0
Gannon GAN-SB 31-14
4
Winner West Chester WCU-S 35-20
Gannon GAN-SB
31-14
0
Final
4
West Chester WCU-S
35-20
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Gannon GAN-SB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
West Chester WCU-S 0 0 0 4 0 0 X 4 8 0

W: Danielle Ciliberto (22-8) L: Armstrong, Katie (6-4)

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

No. 7 Golden Knights Fall to No. 2 West Chester in Atlantic 2 Regional Opener

Gannon, Bloomsburg meet in elimination game on Friday

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – One big inning did in the Gannon softball team in its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019. The seventh-seeded Golden Knights dropped a 4-0 decision to No. 2 seed West Chester, who emerged as the PSAC champion last weekend. Gannon is now 31-14 while WCU improved to 35-20.

Charleston (WV) (46-4) is hosting the Atlantic 2 Regional. The No. 3 seed Golden Eagles opened the four-team regional with a 3-0 win over sixth-seed Bloomsburg (33-23). Gannon and Bloomsburg will now play in an elimination game on Friday at 2:30 p.m. The winner moves on to face tomorrow's 12 noon contest loser between Charleston and West Chester.

Gannon threatened in the top of the first on singles by Emma Smerick (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) and Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) but would leave runners on first and third. In the second the Golden Knights once again had a runner in scoring position when Jenna Clontz (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) singled and stole second with one out, but West Chester's Danielle Ciliberto (22-8) retired the next two batters.

Following three scoreless innings the Golden Rams finally broke through with four runs in the bottom of the fourth on four hits. The key blow was a three-run homer by Paige Marabell, her seventh of the season.

Ciliberto retired the Golden Knights in order in the fifth and sixth innings before Mallozzi opened with her second hit of the game. She would reach second base but three groundouts ended the game.

Gannon ended the game with five hits, with Mallozzi going 2-for-3 and Alaina Whipkey (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny), Smerick and Clontz each adding singles. West Chester finished with eight hits. Both teams played error-less ball.

With PSAC West Pitcher of the Year Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) unavailable freshman Katie Armstrong (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) started and went the first five innings. She allowed six hits with two walks. Josie Spano (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) threw the sixth inning.  
 
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