Natalia Mallozzi vs. Charleston
Bryce Dolak
6
Gannon GAN 2-1
7
Winner University of Charleston UC 3-0
Gannon GAN
2-1
6
Final
7
University of Charleston UC
3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Gannon GAN 0 0 0 2 1 3 0 6 10 1
University of Charleston UC 0 0 3 3 0 0 1 7 7 2

W: Mass, Addison (2-0) L: Spano, Josie (0-1)

7
West Virginia State WVSU 3-3
15
Winner Gannon GAN 3-1
West Virginia State WVSU
3-3
7
Final
15
Gannon GAN
3-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
West Virginia State WVSU 3 3 1 0 0 0 7 7 0
Gannon GAN 0 1 2 7 1 4 15 15 1

W: Spano, Josie (1-0) L: Bickers, Kelley (2-1) S: Lenda, Maggie (1)

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

Mallozzi Powers Golden Knights to Split on Monday

GLENVILLE, W.Va. – The Gannon softball team earned a split of its two games on Monday thanks to an impressive display with the bats. Playing in the second day of the Sue Morris Sports Complex Classic hosted by Glenville State, the Golden Knights lost a heartbreaker to Charleston (WV) in the opener by a 7-6 score before handing West Virginia State a 15-7 defeat.

All told Gannon had 25 hits in the two games, including 15 in the nightcap. They pounded out 13 extra base hits with three home runs in each game. First team All-PSAC West performer Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) homered in both games and finished with two home runs and a a career-high 6 RBIs vs. West Virginia State.

The 15 runs against West Virginia State are the most scored by Gannon since a 15-0 win over Mercyhurst on March 28  2019.

Gannon ended the two-day tournament with a 3-1 record while scoring 35 runs. The Golden Knights look to continue their hot hitting this coming weekend when they play another Mountain East Conference outfit, Wheeling. Gannon travels to Wheeling for a doubleheader on Friday, March 28 before heading to Florida for their spring trip.

Game 1 – Charleston (WV) 7, Gannon 6
After a pair of scoreless innings the Golden Eagles pushed across three runs in the bottom of the third while driving starter Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) from the game. Lenda breezed through the first two innings but allowed four hits in the third frame. Gannon came back with two runs in the top of the fourth, the first on Natalia Mallozzi's (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) long home run to right field, her first of the season, with the second run scoring on an error. Charleston pushed the lead to 6-2 in the fourth thanks to a three-run homer by Lindsey Phares. Emma Smerick (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) made it 6-3 with her second home run of the season in the fifth and Ashley Fox (Cowansville, Pa./Karns City) hit a three-run bomb with two out in the sixth to knot the score at 6-6. It was her first homer of the season. Charleston left the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth and the Golden Knights were retired in order in the top of the seventh. Charleston pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the inning thanks to a pair of doubles. The second was a walkoff double with one out by Bianca Polistina. Gannon ended the game outhitting the Golden Eagles 10-7, with six extra base hits, but Charleston took advantage of eight walks. Fox was 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, with Mallozzi, Smerick and Bella Atherton (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) adding two hits.

Game 2 – Gannon 15, West Virginia State 7
In a game where head coach Michelle Wiley used a number of reserves, Gannon allowed West Virginia State to take a 7-1 lead after two-and-a-half innings. The Golden Knights then came roaring back, including their second seven-run inning of the tournament, and all told scored 14 unanswered runs. Olivia Eckels (Saint Marys, Pa./Saint Marys Area) opened the scoring for Gannon with a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning, the sophomore's second career home run. The comeback began in earnest in the bottom of the third when Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) hit a two-run home run. Gannon blew by the Yellow Jackets with a seven-run fourth inning. The Golden Knights bunched together five hits and three walks. Freshman Sadie Carroll (North Canton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) drove in the first run with a double and Alaina Whipkey's (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) RBI single made it 7-5. Ashley Fox (Cowansville, Pa./Karns City) drove in the sixth run with a fielder's choice. Mallozzi then stepped to the plate and hit her second home run of the game, this one with the bases loaded for a grand slam. Fox' RBI single made it 11-7 after five innings and the Golden Knights added four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Jenna Clontz (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) and Bella Atherton (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) had RBI singles and Brenna Cassidy (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) capped the scoring with a two-run double, Mallozzi capped an impressive weekend with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, driving in a career-high six runs. The lefty-swinging first baseman had two home runs and a double. Cassidy and Fox added two RBIs. Josie Spano (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) picked up the win allowing one unearned runs in 2.1 innings. Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) earned the save with two perfect innings.
 
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