SLIPPERY ROCK, PA - Close losses have been a thorn in GU's side this season. Friday afternoon proved to elicit a similar story line, as the Golden Knights surrendered a pair of walkoff defeats at the hands of Slippery Rock. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1
-Starter Ryan Hood (Latrobe, Pa./Derry Area) ran into trouble in the first inning, but escaped pressure when he forced a bases loaded lineout to first base.

-Gannon's offense had two chances to plate runners in the second and fourth with one out, but Hunter Troiano (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley) and Dom Costello (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted) each grounded into inning ending double plays.

-Hood continued to dominate through the first six innings. Heading into the seventh, the right hander allowed just four hits, striking out five along the way.

-After GU fell victim to another double play in the sixth, Connor Smith (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) provided a one out single in the seventh. But on the very next batter, Smith was caught trying to steal second, and Costello struck out to end the threat. Gannon had six hits in game one.

-Ryan Bioni (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) came on in relief of Hood following a leadoff double. On the very next pitch, Bioni would give up a double of his own, paving the way to a walkoff win for SRU.
 
Game 2
-The Golden Knights got on the board for the first time all day in the third inning. Frank Kula (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) earned an RBI with a groundout to first, good enough to get Troiano home.

-That lead would double in the fourth. Brendan Koroly (Mars, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) took an 0-2 pitch down the left field line, and Smith raced home from first to double the GU advantage.

-Jake Boynar (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville) was splendid until the bottom of the fourth. The righty yielded a sac fly to trim the Gannon lead to 2-1. He would exit after 4 2/3 innings, but would be charged a second earned run.

-That run came when Logan Ayres (New Castle, Pa./Laurel) entered with one on and two out in the bottom of the fifth. He would proceed to allow a single and back to back walks to allow the tying run to score.

-The game would go extra innings, with GU failing to score in the top of the eighth and ninth. Jaret Boyer (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) took over in the bottom of the ninth, gave up a walk, sac bunt, and a walk-off single two batters later.
 
Up Next  
Gannon gets a third and fourth crack at SRU on Saturday afternoon. The doubleheader at McConnell Family Stadium is set for 1 & 3:30 pm.