Baseball | 3/21/2026 5:23:00 PM

THE GAME FACTS 

• Game One Final Score: IUP 5, Gannon 2 

• Game Two Final Score: Gannon 6, IUP 2 

• Location: Indiana (PA) 

• Next Game:  vs IUP (Sunday, March 22nd- 11 am /1:30 pm – Gannon will be home team) 

INDIANA, PA- The Golden Knights earn a split in their conference opener, beating IUP 6-2 in the second game after being walked off in the first contest. 

Wes Parker (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) would send the Golden Knights to a 2-0 lead in the third inning of game one. His second homer of the season held until the bottom of the fifth when a solo IUP home run cut the score to 2-1. The Crimson Hawks would load the bases in the bottom of the seventh and win the game on a pinch hit, walk off grand slam.  

Similar to the first game, Ian Soto (Florida, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristiana de Manati) got GU off to an early lead with a three-run bomb in the top of the first. Gannon would lead 4-1 going into the seventh and was seeking insurance runs when the Crimson Hawks cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame. Parker then clobbered a two-run shot to extend the lead to four and seal the win. 

THE KNIGHT CAP - GAME 1 

• Wes Leaves the Yard - Moving up to second in the lineup, Wes Parker (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) found a 1-0 fastball and did not miss, going yard for the second homer of the season. The home run put Gannon up 2-0 in the third.  

• Hood Delivers – The Golden Knights ace would secure a great performance in a no-decision on Saturday. Ryan Hood (Latrobe, Pa./Derry Area) struck out seven in six and a third innings of work, allowing one run on one hit. He exited the game on 98 pitches with one out in the seventh.  

• Walk off Stunner- With Logan Ayres (New Castle, Pa./Laurel) in the came to close things out, IUP would load the bases with two outs and get a pinch hit grand slam to walk things off and win the series opener.  

THE KNIGHT CAP - GAME 2 

• Early Outburst- After Gannon got the first two runners to reach base to begin the game, Ian Soto (Florida, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristiana de Manati) stepped up to the dish and promptly deposited a 2-1 pitch into the seats for a three-run home run. The long ball is the team leading fourth of the season for the DH.    

• Wes x2  – Parker delivered a two-run home run for his third of the year and second game in a row, adding insurance runs for the Golden Knights. Parker would end the day 2-4.  

• Spreading the Wealth – Six of the nine Gannon starters collected at least one hit each in the game.  

• On The Bump – Jacob Engel (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) was tremendous on the mound, earning the win in a complete game effort. Engel surrendered just two runs, scattering six hits and striking out six as well.  
    

THE NEXT GAME 

The Golden Knights will stay in Indiana, PA to face IUP but be the home team on Sunday. The games will start at 11:00 am and will be in place of the originally scheduled home opener at McConnell Family Stadium. 
 
This story was written using the support of AI.