On a warm Friday afternoon in Greensburg, the Gannon softball team turned in a gritty performance, earning a hard-fought PSAC West split against Seton Hill.
After being edged 2-0 in the opener, the Golden Knights responded with a determined 4-2 victory in the nightcap—snapping the Griffins' 11-game winning streak and closing the doubleheader on a high note.
Gannon now sits at 23-16 overall and 14-9 in PSAC West play.
Game 1 – Seton Hill 2, Gannon 0
Katie Armstrong (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) delivered another strong outing in the circle, but Gannon's offense was unable to generate run support in a 2-0 loss.
Armstrong scattered six hits across six innings, allowing no earned runs while striking out five. Both Seton Hill runs came in the fifth after a fielding error extended the inning, followed by a two-run home run.
The Golden Knights were limited to three hits—two of them by
Abbey Girman (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette), who finished 2-for-3 with a double.
Mia Ryan (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) added a single, but Gannon stranded five runners and hit into a double play in the second inning to halt early momentum.
Despite solid defensive play and Armstrong's sharp command, the fifth-inning homer proved to be the difference.
Game 2 – Gannon 4, Seton Hill 2
Gannon flipped the script in game two, using a sixth-inning rally to take control and hand Seton Hill its first loss in 12 games. Down 1-0, the Golden Knights strung together a three-run frame, highlighted by
Josie Spano's (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) clutch two-run single to center that plated
Natalia Mallozzi (Woodbridge, Ontario/Father Bressani Catholic) and
Jenna Clontz (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong). Moments later,
Mia Ryan (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) delivered an RBI single to push the lead to 3-1.
Ashley Fox (Cowansville, Pa./Karns City) added a key insurance run in the seventh after leading off with a single and eventually scoring on a bunt from Clontz, capitalizing on two defensive miscues.
Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) was steady throughout, earning the complete-game win. She allowed just two runs on seven hits, struck out five, and did not issue a walk. Mallozzi reached base three times, while
Lindsay Breuer (Mason, Ohio/Mason) tripled in the second to lead a balanced eight-hit effort.
Up Next
The Golden Knights return to action on Saturday, April 19, for a PSAC West doubleheader against California (Pa.). First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 AM at Lilley Field in California, Pa.