ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University softball team dropped a pair of games at Gannon Wednesday afternoon. The Lakers fell 8-1 in game one and 8-0 in game two. Mercyhurst drops to 6-11 and 0-2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play. The Golden Knights improve to 11-5 and 5-0 in the PSAC.

Game One:

Gannon jumped out to an early 5-0 nothing lead, scoring all five runs in the bottom of the first. Starting pitcher Annie Truelove only allowed two hits but walked in three runs, five over all in the inning.
 
After walking the leadoff batter in the second, Truelove was relieved by left hander Heather Nye.   Nye struck out the first batter she face and was able to close out the bottom of the second scoreless.

The Golden Knights would add three more runs in the fourth, highlighted by a Katie Dunn two run homerun. Rachel deGuia hit a single to drive in the third run of the inning. Gannon led, 8-0, after four frames.

Mercyhurst would get on the board in the fifth with a solo homerun from third basemen Shannon Minihane. Minihane sent one over the center field wall with one out to break the shutout.

With the Lakers trailing, 8-1, in the sixth, Becky Malaga started off the inning with a single to center field. Rachel DiBartolomeo followed with a double, to put runners on second and third with no outs. However, Gannon starting pitcher Olivia Gumbita was able to retire the next three Laker batters to retire the inning.

Malaga and catcher Cassandra Egelston finished game one 2-3 from the plate, while DiBartolomeo, Minihane, and Courtney Brothers recorded one. Both teams finished with seven hits.

Truelove received the loss, moving her record to 3-6 on the year. Gumbita improves to 6-1 with the win.

Game Two:

Alexandra Puckly took the bump in game two for the Lakers. She started off clean, retiring the first three batters she faced.

Gannon would jump out to a 1-0 lead in the second. With runners on first and second with two outs, Allie Salerno singled to left center, scoring Jen Moran.

With the Lakers still down, 1-0, in the fourth, Mercyhurst had an opportunity to the tie the ballgame. Puckly began the inning with a single up the middle. After catcher Francesca Costanzo sacrificed Puckly to second, Tawny Godin advanced her to third with a single to left field. Godin would proceed to steal second, putting both runners in scoring position with one out. However, Golden Knight starting pitcher Jess Rectenwald was able to retire the next two Laker batters to get out of the inning.

Gannon would open the game up in the bottom half of frame, scoring seven runs on seven hits and one error, to take an, 8-0 lead.

The Golden Knights would hold Mercyhurst scoreless in the top of the fifth to complete the game on the eight-run mercy rule.

Left fielder Godin went 2-2 with a double to right center in the second inning, while Puckly, DiBartolomeo, and Courtney Brothers all recorded singles. The Golden Knights outhit the Lakers 11-5 in game two.

Puckly received the loss, as she falls to 3-4 on the year. Rectenwald improves to 3-1 overall with the win.

Mercyhurst will regroup for a quick turnaround tomorrow at California (Pa.) (13-5, 7-1 PSAC). The Lakers will travel to Cal for a doubleheader with the first pitch scheduled at 2:30 p.m.