THE GAME FACTS
INDIANA, PA- The Golden Knights dropped a pair of games to IUP to finish their opening conference series on Sunday in Indiana, PA. The games were played on the road, though Gannon was the home team in both contests, as the doubleheader was moved due to impending weather in the Erie area.
IUP would take an early 1-0 lead in the first game but the Golden Knights pitching staff settled in from there as Nolan Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) worked a scoreless second. The Crimson Hawks would add two in the third and four more in the fourth to take a 7-0 lead, but a two RBI double from Dom Costello (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted) would cut the deficit to five.
Ian Soto (Florida, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristiana de Manati) would level game two at 1-1 in the bottom of the first on an RBI single, but IUP's offense was too much from there. The Crimson Hawks would score in each of the next five frames to earn the Sunday sweep.
THE KNIGHT CAP - GAME 1
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Dom Plates a Pair - Getting Gannon on the board in the fourth, Dom Costello (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted) roped a double to the gap to plate a pair. Those would count as RBI's five and six on the campaign. Costello provided the Golden Knight's two hits in the contest.
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On the Bump – Nolan Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) worked through three frames, allowing four runs on four hits, striking out three. He would take the loss (0-3). Brady Berdine (Warren, Pa./Warren Area) and Nick Robertson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) would throw the final four frames and yield three total runs, all being charged to Berdine.
THE KNIGHT CAP - GAME 2
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Soto Levels Proceedings - After Gannon allowed a run in the top of the first, Ian Soto (Florida, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristiana de Manati) picked up on his strong Saturday effort with an RBI single in the bottom of the first, his team leading 16th RBI of the season.
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Smith Leaves the Yard – Continuing his strong start to the season, Matt Smith (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) launched a solo home run in the bottom of the third. The redshirt sophomore now has four long balls on the year.
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On The Bump – Hunter Steinke (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua) (0-2) took the loss, tossing two and a third frames and allowing seven runs. Ashton Wheelock (Ashtabula, Ohio/Lakeside), Zach Tkatch (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley), Logan Oakes (Kent, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit), and Dylan Paul (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) also saw time on the mound in relief in the loss.
THE NEXT GAME
The Golden Knights will travel to Ashland for a midweek contest on Tuesday, March 24th at 3:00 pm.
This story was written using the support of AI.
