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Box Score

DRIFTON, Pa. - The Gannon softball team ended its run at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament Thursday afternoon with a 6-5 loss to cross-town rival Mercyhurst.
 
Despite a seventh-inning comeback effort, the Lady Knights fell one-run short during Thursday's elimination game. Gannon had the tying run on base in the final at-bat, but the Lakers were able to force a pop out to advance in the bracket. 
 
Caitlyn Colucci (Lancaster, N.Y. / Sacred Heart) led off the inning with a double after a long at bad that included fouling off several pitches. Julie Hagner (Boston, N.Y. / Hamburg) was then hit in the elbow during the first pitch of her at bat to make it runners at first and second. Jaleesa Sledge (Olean, N.Y. / Olean) then grounded out, advancing both runners and brining up the top of the order. 
 
Samantha Scott (New Baltimore, Mich. / Anchor Bay) hit a ball that was fielded by the Laker's shortstop deep in the hole. Colucci scored from third and Heidi Frynkewicz (Ambridge, Pa. / Ambridge), who pinch ran for Hagner, advanced to third after Mercyhurst was unable to make the tag on her in time. However, The Lakers' defense recovered and recorded an out on Scott as she attempted to move to second. 
 
Katie Killian (Akron, Ohio / St. Vincent-St. Mary) followed, beating out a ball hit to shortstop to score Frynkewicz and extend the inning. The Lakers worked out of the jam with a pop up hit to the shortstop, escaping with a 6-5 win. 
 
The cold and rainy weather appeared to favor the offense in the early innings, with the two teams trading runs. Gannon struck in the first inning following an RBI single from Ashley Petrone (Uniontown, Pa / Albert Gallatin). The hit scored Scott after she led of the inning with a single.
 
Mercyhurst answered with two runs in the third. The Lakers scored once of a double from Shaina Bunker before Megan Smith hit a two-run home run to make the score 3-1.
 
The Lady Knights tied it up in the bottom half, following RBI hits from Scott and Killian. Scott's double down the left-field line scored Sledge who reached on a dropped-third strike. Scott later scored on Killian's groundout to second base.
 
Mercyhurst broke the 3-3 tie the following inning, scoring three runs on two hits and two walks. Fyffe came through for the Lakers, scoring two runs with a pinch-hit single. 
 
Megan Hopton tossed the final four innings for the Lakers to earn the win. She allowed just four hits and struck out three. Erica Bartholow (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville Area) took the loss after throwing all seven innings. 
 
The loss moved Gannon to 30-17 while the Lakers improved to 26-24 overall.