ERIE, Pa. (April 22) – The Vulcans dropped both games of a doubleheader at defending-league champion Gannon on Monday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, suffering a 4-3 loss in Game 1 before being blanked by a 4-0 margin in Game 2.
With the losses, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team moves to 10-20 this year. The Vulcans drop into a tie for fourth place in the PSAC West standings with a 6-8 mark and six games left in the regular season. Meanwhile, Gannon improves to 20-11 overall behind a 9-5 record in divisional play.
In Game 1, the Vulcans held a 4-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh before the Lady Knights scored three runs on three hits and two walks to record the walk-off victory. Cal U registered a strikeout to start the seventh before Gannon started the rally with a walk and a single. Shortstop Sarah Ingerick then delivered an RBI single to give the Lady Knights runners on the corners. Following a pitching change, Gannon drew a walk to load the bases before Cal U tallied the second out of the inning at home. Left fielder Maria Taliani then delivered the game-winning, two-run double to right field on a 2-2 count.
Senior
Emilee Downing (Groveport, Ohio/Groveport Madison) set a career high with 12 strikeouts while working 6.1 innings (114 pitches). She suffered the loss to fall to 3-7 this season after allowing four runs (all earned) on seven hits and one walk. Gannon junior Madi Beining earned the victory after yielding one run (earned) on two hits with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
Cal U opened the game with back-to-back doubles by sophomore catcher
Brooke Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) and senior second baseman
Taylor Robblee (Woodstock, Ontario/College Avenue) to take a 1-0 lead. The Lady Knights looked to answer in the bottom of the inning following a leadoff double of their own before Downing retired the next three batters via strikeout.
Gannon again threatened in the bottom of the fourth with runners on the corners and two outs before Downing ended the inning with another strikeout. In the fifth, Wilson lined a single through the middle with one out before Robble was hit by pitch. The Vulcans then loaded the bases on a walk before Beining entered the circle and following a strikeout issued a walk to sophomore right fielder
Janelle Allison (Pleasant Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) on five pitches to extend the lead to 2-0.
In the top of the sixth, Wilson delivered a two-out RBI double to left center that scored sophomore shortstop
Alexa Pastor (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) after she started the inning with a double. The Lady Knights trimmed the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer by third baseman Kristina DeMatteis.
Wilson finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored from the leadoff spot, while Pastor went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and one run scored.
In Game 2, Robblee (7-7) was saddled with the loss after surrendering four runs (all earned) on five hits and one walk in 4.1 innings. Fellow senior
Carly Konopka (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) allowed one hit over 1.2 scoreless innings of relief. Beining again posted the victory after scattering just two hits and issuing no walks over 7.0 shutout innings (68 pitches).
The Lady Knights took the lead in the bottom of the third on a three-run homer by designated player Kaity Stocker with two outs. Gannon added to the lead with back-to-back doubles in the fifth before Cal U made a pitching change to Konopka.
The Vulcans return to action tomorrow, Tuesday, April 23, when they play a doubleheader at Edinboro with play starting at 2:30 p.m.
