Gannon 2, Mercyhurst 0
Mercyhurst 7, Gannon 2

ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst College softball team posted a 7-2 victory at Gannon Sunday, April 11, after falling, 2-0, in the opening game of the doubleheader.

The Lakers split a twinbill for the second time in as many days, and now hold a 19-19 record, 5-5 in PSAC West play. Gannon (13-18) earned its first PSAC West win of the season, and is now 1-9 in divisional games.

For the day, Mercyhurst's Jen Bower hit 4-for-7 with a double, triple, and a home run, driving in three runs. Michelle Schmitz went 3-for-7 with two doubles. Amber Rapose homered in the second game, while Anna Glomb doubled in two runs.

Gannon won game one with two unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs and runners on second and third, Ashley Petrone bounced a grounder to pitcher Kristi Janoske, whose errant throw to first allowed two Golden Knights to cross the plate for a 2-0 lead.

Mercyhurst placed two runners on base in the top of the sixth, as Schmitz singled, and Bower doubled to left field with two outs. A Laker strikeout ended the scoring opportunity, and Gannon held Mercyhurst off the board the rest of the way.

Gannon's Megan Dragon earned the victory in game one with a four-hit shutout, striking out 10 Lakers while advancing her record to 8-6. Janoske allowed two unearned runs on just three hits, drawing the loss.

In game two, Mercyhurst broke the game open with a four-run first inning, as Bower crushed a home run to left center, plating Elizabeth Maier and Schmitz. Rapose followed with a solo shot for a 4-0 Laker advantage. Gannon responded with two runs in the bottom of the first, and trailed 4-2 when they came to bat in the second inning. Janoske earned a 1-2-3 inning in relief of Amanda Norman, setting the table for insurance runs from the Mercyhurst offense.

In the top of the third, Bower tripled with two outs, and Rapose walked. Glomb sliced a two-run double down the left field line, building the lead to 6-2. Mercyhurst added one run in the top of the seventh, and Megan Hopton pitched a scoreless bottom half of the final inning to secure the 7-2 victory.

Janoske earned her 10th win of the season, matching her win total from the 2009 season. She yielded just three hits in five innings of relief pitching. Norman pitched the first inning, allowing two runs on two hits, while Hopton retired all three batters in the seventh. Kelsey Brickman allowed six runs on seven hits in four innings, dropping to 3-8 on the season.

The Lakers will conclude PSAC West play with three doubleheaders within the next week, beginning Tuesday, April 13 at California (Pa.).