GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (16-23, 8-12 PSAC West) VS LOCK HAVEN BALD EAGLES (15-25, 5-14 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Friday, April 25th | 1 & 3:30 pm & Saturday., April 26th | 1 & 3:30 pm
FIELD/LOCATION: At Lock Haven Friday, At Gannon Saturday (Saturday: Senior Day)
ERIE, Pa. – Senior Day is nearly upon us! The Golden Knights will recognize six seniors -
Gabriel Morales (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/American School),
Jaret Boyer (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington),
Carson Whiteman (Kane, Pa./Kane Area),
Matt Graeber (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan),
Nick Harhai (West Homestead, Pa./Steel Valley) and
Dylan Crowley (Eden, N.Y./Hamburg) (graduate student) on Saturday against Lock Haven. GU will travel to face the Bald Eagles for a twinbill on Friday to begin the four game set.
LEADING OFF
Down to the Wire - The standings continue to tighten. Gannon sits just three games behind IUP for the fourth and final spot in the PSAC tournament and will play the Crimson Hawks four times next week, making this weekends slate of action all the more crucial. The Golden Knights currently sit in sixth in the PSAC West, one game behind Clarion in conference standings.
Run Support - The offense found its stride last time out. Gannon put up a season high 22 runs in a midwek victory over D'Youville. GU tallied 21 hits, and scored at least two runs in every inning but the first and third. Five batters had at least three hits, led by
Connor Smith (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) who went 5-for-7 with 5 runs and 4 RBIs. That included a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his fifth of the season. For good measure he then closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning on the mound, striking out one.
Wes Parker (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) drove in five runs and scored four times while going 3-for-4 with a walk. The big first baseman hit his ninth home run of the season in the fifth and cleared the bases with a three-run triple in the second.
A (Smith)sonian Full Of Hits - Smith enters this weekend on a four game hit streak, including multiple hits in each of his last three contests. The redshirt sophomore now leads the team with a .363 batting average and 21 RBI's. All told, he is a hard person to get out: Smith has just 12 strikeouts this season.
Oh, Boy! - Jake Boynar (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville) has put together a solid month of April on the bump for the Golden Knights. Specifically, in his last two starts, the righty tossed 6 1/3 and 7 innings of work, allowing just three runs in those innings and striking out a dozen.
Home Cooking - The Golden Knights have climbed above the .500 mark this season at home. With the midweek win over D'Youville, GU now owns a 6-5 mark at McConnell Family Stadium.
SCOUTING LOCK HAVEN
The Bald Eagles are ahead of just UPJ in the PSAC West standings. They have, however, won three of their last four games on the season. Morgen Billotte leads the team in batting average (.345) and hits (.341), while Bryce Vincent has smacked home 22 runs for Lock Haven.
NEXT UP
Gannon will have one final weekend of regular season action that may be the most important of the year. They'll take on IUP in a home and home on May 1st and 2nd.
