Scoreboard

Jaston Best, SU Sports Information

Baseball 3/4/2025 12:03:00 AM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Golden Knights to Face Strong Field in RussMatt Invitational

Gannon to play five games in Sunshine State

GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (1-4) at RussMatt Invitational
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, March 5 to Sunday, March 9, 2025 (DH) | See Schedule
BALLPARK/LOCATION: Chain of Lakes l Winter Haven, Fla. and Northeast Regional Park | Davenport, Fla.

GANNON SCHEDULE
Wed., March 5 – vs. Davis & Elkins (1-5) – 1:00 p.m.
Thurs., March 6 – vs. Rockhurst (8-2) – 1:30 p.m.
Fri., March 7 – at Rollins (12-4) – 2:00 p.m.
Sat., March 8 – vs. Point Park (6-1) – 12:15 p.m.
Sun., March 9 – vs. Wayne State (Neb.) (2-6) – 9:00 a.m.
(all games 9 innings)

ERIE, Pa. – Hopefully some warm weather is just what the Gannon baseball team needs. The Golden Knights are headed to Florida to play five games in the Sunshine state. They will compete in the RussMatt Invitational, with their first game set for Wednesday, March 5 against Davis & Elkins. All five games are nine innings.

Head coach DJ Cannon is fielding a young team this season. The Golden Knights head to their spring trip with a deceiving 1-4 record. Three of the losses have come by a single run, and four of their five games have been decided by a run. In addition, Gannon has either led or been tied in the late innings in three of four games.

Gannon's first two games – against Davis & Elkins and Rockhurst – will be played in Winter Haven, Fla. On Friday Gannon plays at Rollins before wrapping up the five games with two in Davenport, Fla. vs. Point Park and Wayne State (Neb.).

Gannon opened the season with three games at Shippensburg, winning the final game 5-4. On Friday the Golden Knights played two games at Lake Erie, losing by scores of 5-1 and 6-5. After producing 31 hits in the three games at Shippensburg the Golden Knights were held to a total of seven hits at Lake Erie.

The opening game loss spoiled a strong pitching performance by Jake Boynar (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville). The sophomore righthander took a perfect game into the sixth inning and ended up allowing just one hit and one unearned run while striking out a career-high 12 batters. He has struck out 17 in 10 innings.

The Gannon lineup has four batters hitting over .300 led by freshman Hunter Troiano (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley). The shortstop is hitting .385 with 6 RBIs. Sophomore first baseman Nick Walker (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) comes in at .353, while Frank Kula (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) is also at .353. A transfer from Rhode Island, the sophomore second baseman has a double and a triple and has already stolen seven bases.

Ian Soto (Florida, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristiana de Manati) is the fourth Golden Knight, hitting exactly .300 with a team leading three doubles. The redshirt junior served a pitcher a year ago but is now the designated hitter.

When Gannon returns from Florida the Golden Knights will play four games in three days at Grand Valley State from March 14-16.

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Players Mentioned

#52 Jake Boynar: RHP; 6' 6"; Sophomore; R/R

#50 Ian Soto: OF/RHP; 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

#13 Nick Walker: INF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/R

#24 Frank Kula: INF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/R

#21 Hunter Troiano: INF; 5' 9"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#52 Jake Boynar
: 6' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: RHP

#50 Ian Soto
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: OF/RHP

#13 Nick Walker
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/R
: INF

#24 Frank Kula
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/R
: INF

#21 Hunter Troiano
: 5' 9"; Freshman; R/R
: INF