The Gannon softball team delivered two gritty wins on Thursday afternoon, taking both ends of a doubleheader against PSAC West rival Seton Hill at McConnell Family Stadium. With the victories, the Golden Knights improved to 16-12 overall and 7-5 in PSAC West action.
Game 1: Gannon 6, Seton Hill 5
In a back-and-forth opener, Gannon staged a dramatic seventh-inning comeback to stun the Griffins, 6-5.
Down 5-4 entering the bottom of the final frame, the Golden Knights got a spark from
Emma Smerick (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong), who tripled to right.
Sadie Carroll (North Canton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) followed with a single to the catcher to put two aboard.
Moments later,
Jenna Clontz (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) delivered the game-winning blow — a clutch RBI single that, aided by a fielding error, brought home both Smerick and Carroll.
Maggie Lenda (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) earned the win in the circle, going the distance despite surrendering 12 hits. She improved to 5-6 on the season.
Smerick led the way offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Bella Atherton (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) and Clontz each drove in a run, while six different Knights recorded hits.
For Seton Hill, Samantha Telegdy homered and took the loss in the circle (7-7). Brianna Athey continued her hot stretch with two hits and two RBIs.
Game 2: Gannon 3, Seton Hill 2
The nightcap saw Gannon jump ahead early and hold off a late Seton Hill push to secure a 3-2 win behind a strong pitching performance from
Katie Armstrong (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell).
Armstrong was brilliant, fanning 10 and scattering seven hits over seven innings for her 10th win of the season (10-3). The junior ace didn't allow a walk and stranded eight Griffins.
Gannon scored twice in the first thanks to an RBI single from Carroll and a sacrifice fly by
Lindsay Breuer (Mason, Ohio/Mason). After Seton Hill cut the deficit in the fifth with an RBI double from Bridget Fukushima, the Knights answered with a pinch-hit RBI single from
Destiny Garcia (Stockton, Cal./Bear Creek) in the sixth — a key insurance run that proved to be the difference.
Athey doubled and scored both of Seton Hill's runs, while Telegdy added an RBI pinch-hit single in the seventh, but Armstrong closed the door.
Up Next:
The Golden Knights return to action tomorrow, April 4, when they host Clarion at McConnell Family Stadium. First pitch is set for 2:00 PM.