Smith
Davina Pry
2
Gannon GU_BS26 24-23
3
Winner East Stroudsburg WARRIORS 36-13
Gannon GU_BS26
24-23
2
Final
3
East Stroudsburg WARRIORS
36-13
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Gannon GU_BS26 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 0
East Stroudsburg WARRIORS 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 8 0

W: Johansel Brito (4-1) L: Engel, Jacob (5-4)

Game Recap: Baseball | | By Isaac Petkac, Director of Communications & Creative Content

Golden Knights Fall to ESU in PSAC Quarterfinals

THE GAME FACTS
Score: East Stroudsburg 3, Gannon 2 (11)
Round: PSAC Quarterfinals
Records: Gannon (24-23), ESU (36-13)
Location: Slippery Rock, PA

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Gannon saw its 2026 season come to an end Thursday afternoon with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to East Stroudsburg in 11 innings during the opening round of the PSAC Tournament at Jack Critchfield Park in Slippery Rock, PA.

In a tightly contested battle that lasted more than three hours, Gannon took a 2-0 advantage and carried a lead into the late innings before East Stroudsburg tied the game in the seventh and walked it off in the bottom of the 11th. The Golden Knights finished the season with a 24-23 overall record after earning a spot in the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2022.

Gannon jumped in front in the opening inning as Hunter Troiano (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley) ripped a double down the right field line before Wes Parker (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) brought him home with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Both teams traded scoreless innings behind strong pitching performances until the sixth, when Matt Smith (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) launched a solo home run to right center to double the advantage.

East Stroudsburg answered in the bottom half of the sixth with a solo homer from Ryan Manning before tying the game in the seventh on an RBI single by Troy Davis. The two sides remained deadlocked through the next three innings, with both pitching staffs working out of key jams to force extras.

Gannon threatened in the 11th after Matt Smith (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) led off the inning with a double, but East Stroudsburg escaped the frame scoreless. In the bottom half, the Warriors loaded the bases and Easton Albert delivered the walk-off RBI single to right field to end the game.

THE KNIGHT CAP

  • Strong Start: Gannon struck first in the opening inning as Hunter Troiano (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley) doubled and later scored on an RBI single from Wes Parker (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township).

  • Hood Shines: Ryan Hood (Latrobe, Pa./Derry Area) turned in another strong postseason outing, allowing just one run across six innings while striking out three and working around four walks. He finished with a no-decision.

  • Smith Goes Yard: Matt Smith (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) extended the lead to 2-0 in the sixth inning with a solo home run to right center. It was his team leading 10th homer of the season.

  • Timely Hitting: Gannon finished with 10 hits, including three from Hunter Troiano (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley), while Matt Smith (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) and Wes Parker (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) each recorded two-hit performances.

  • Chances Late: The Golden Knights put runners on in both the ninth and 11th innings, including a leadoff double from Matt Smith (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) in the 11th, but couldn't push across the go-ahead run.

  • Extra-Inning Battle: Jacob Engel (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) kept East Stroudsburg off the board through the eighth, ninth, and 10th innings before the Warriors loaded the bases in the 11th and delivered the walk-off single.

  • Season Finale: Gannon closes the 2026 season with 24 victories and a trip to the PSAC Tournament, highlighted by multiple key conference series wins down the stretch.

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