Alex Bemis vs. D&E
Mike Gallagher
11
Winner GANNON GANNON 4-4
7
ROLLINS ROLLINS 13-5
Winner
GANNON GANNON
4-4
11
Final
7
ROLLINS ROLLINS
13-5
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
GANNON GANNON 0 0 1 0 0 2 5 2 1 11 9 2
ROLLINS ROLLINS 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 7 13 2

W: Engel, Jacob (1-0) L: J. Edelman (3-1)

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

Golden Knights Upset 20th-Ranked Rollins 11-7

Bemis drives in four runs, Engel sharp on the mound

WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Gannon baseball team won its third straight game in Florida on Friday with one of the program's biggest wins in quite some time. The Golden Knights scored eight runs over the final three innings to hand 20th-ranked Rollins a 11-7 defeat. The Golden Knights evened their record at 4-4 while snapping Rollins five game winning streak. The Tars dipped to 13-5.

Gannon was actually outhit by Rollins 13-9, but the Golden Knights took advantage of 10 hits and two hit batters while not issuing a free pass to the Tars.

Gannon starter Jacob Engel (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) got off to an inauspicious start, giving up an opposite field home run in the top of the first to Rollins leadoff hitter Michael Furry. The big righthander settled in after that and allowed just one more run.

The Golden Knights tied the score at 1-1 with a run in the top of the third. Dom Costello (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted) reached base on an error to open the inning. He advanced to second on Nolan Smith's (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) sacrifice. After Lance Slater (Renfrew, Pa./Butler) walked Frank Kula (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) singled to left to load the bases. Nick Walker (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) drove in Costello with a deep fly to right center to tie the game at 1-1.

Rollins regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a run but Engel was able to pitch out of a bases loaded jam with a 1-2-3 double play.

Gannon gained its first lead of the game in the top of the sixth courtesy of Alex Bemis' (Monroe, Ohio/Monroe) two-run homer. Brady Gavula (Butler, Pa./Butler Area) doubled to open the inning and scored on Bemis' homer to left field, his first of the season.

The Golden Knights pushed across five runs in the top of the seventh to go ahead 8-2 despite having just two hits. The Golden Knights took advantage of two walks and two hit by pitches. Ian Soto (Florida, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristiana de Manati) reached with one out on a hit by pitch, Wes Parker (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) singled and Gavula walked to load the bases. Bemis walked on a 3-2 pitch to drive in a run and Costello was hit by a pitch to plate another run. Smith hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Slater drove in the final two runs with a triple down the right field line.  

Engel threw the first six innings, scattering seven hits, to pick up his first win of the season. He did not walk a batter and struck out two. Ryan Bioni (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) relieved in the seventh and allowed a single run in two innings. Gannon got that run back in the top of the eighth and added another to make it 10-3. Soto walked with one out and scored on a double down the left field line by Parker. He came around to score on Bemis' single to center field.

Gannon added a run in the ninth inning courtesy of three walks. Lance Slater (Renfrew, Pa./Butler), who reached on a one-out walk, eventually scored on Connor Smith's (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) sacrifice fly.

Rollins made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth with four runs, all with two outs. Jaret Boyer (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington), making his first appearance of the season. The Tars took advantage of three hit batters and three singles but Boyer induced a groundout to second base to end the game.  

Bemis led the attack with four runs batted in as the sophomore outfielder went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks. Parker had three hits in six at bats. The big first baseman has just returned after missing four weeks with a broken jaw. He drove in a run and had a double. Slater, in his first start and second game of the season at shortstop, added a pair of RBIs with the triple. 

Gannon has two more games remaining in Florida, beginning with a nine-inning game against Point Park on Saturday. First pitch is set for 12:15 p.m. in Davenport, Fla.
 
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