Erie, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team dropped two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division contests Sunday afternoon at Gannon University.
Kailey Myers went 3-for-6 on the day with a double and an RBI.
Slippery Rock and Gannon traded leads in game one until a big four-run fifth by GU gave them a 7-4 lead and earned the Golden Knights a victory.
In game two, SRU struck first, but Gannon put up crooked numbers in the second and fourth innings coasting to an 8-2 win.
Myers went 2-for-4 in game one tallying an RBI double and in game two went 1-for-2.
With the losses, Slippery Rock falls to 13-12 overall and 0-2 in PSAC West play. Gannon improves to 14-9 on the season and 6-2 in PSAC West games.
GAME ONE: Gannon 7 – Slippery Rock 4
Both Gannon and Slippery Rock exchanged leads throughout the game until a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth gave the Golden Knights three-run advantage en route to a victory. Myers and
Becca Roesch each tallied two hits and an RBI in the loss.
Slippery Rock got on the board quickly in the top of the first inning to take an early lead.
Emily Nagle reached on an error to start the game and
Megan Brown attempted a sac bunt to move her over, but another error put both Brown and Nagle on base. Brown then stole second, and with runners on second and third, Roesch ripped a single to to center to score Nagle.
Lauren Hawley then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Brown and make it a 2-0 lead.
After a scoreless bottom of the first for Gannon, the Golden Knights got on the board in the bottom of the second. GU put a runner on and then Maria Taliani hit a two-run homer to left field to tie the game.
Camie Shumaker bounced back to get an out, but Lisa Szajn then clubbed a solo home run to give Gannon a 3-2 lead.
In the top of third, The Rock tacked on two more runs and retake the lead. Nagle led off the inning with a triple. Brown then hit an RBI single to make it a 3-3 game. Myers would later double to give SRU a 4-3 advantage.
SRU took its 4-3 lead into the bottom of the fifth, but Gannon turned the game on its ear with a four-run explosion. The Golden Knights loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Lyndsey Lakatos who then hit one over the wall for a grand slam and gave Gannon a 7-4 lead.
Slippery Rock put a runner in scoring position in the seventh, but could not tally another run as GU held on for for the victory.
Madi Beining (7-4) earned the win for Gannon after a complete-game surrendering four runs (two earned) on 10 hits while punching out three.
Shumaker (5-2) registered the loss going 4.1 innings allowing seven runs on six hits and striking out two.
Brooke Dawson entered the game in relief in the bottom of the fifth and pitched well going 1.2 innings and punching out three.
GAME TWO: Gannon 8 – Slippery Rock 2
The Rock took an early lead again, but Gannon tallied eight runs in an 8-2 victory in game two over SRU.
Slippery Rock struck first in game two putting a run on the board in the top of the second. Hawley led off the inning with a walk. After Myers bunted to move her to second, she advanced to third on a wild pitch.
McKenzie Garland put the ball in play flying out short centerfield. On the throw in, the first baseman misplayed it allowing Hawley to advance to put The Rock up, 1-0.
Gannon answered back with a big bottom of the second when Kennedy DeMatteis hit a two-run homer to take the lead. After recording an out, GU loaded the bases and Sarah Ingerick doubled to right center to score two. With runners on second and third, Kaity Stocker grounded out for the second out, but drove in another run to make it a 5-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the fourth, Gannon added three more runs on a bases-clearing three RBI double from Kristina DeMatteis to give the Golden Knights an 8-1 lead.
Slippery Rock managed to get one back in the top of the seventh on an RBI double from
Alexa Guglielmino, but unfortunately fell to Gannon, 8-2.
DeMatteis (5-5) earned the win after hurling a complete-game allowing two runs on six hits and striking out five.
Dawson (4-8) took the loss going 2.0 innings surrendering five runs on six hits and punching out one.
Paige Flore and
Andria Copelli combined for 4.0 solid innings of relief allowing three unearned runs on two hits.
Slippery Rock is back in action Wednesday with a PSAC West doubleheader at Mercyhurst. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
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