Quakertown, Pa. – Mercyhurst Softball won a pair of games on day two of the PSAC Tournament with a 5-3 win over Gannon in game one, followed by a a 4-3 victory over Slippery Rock to help the team advance to day three of the tournament.
How It Happened
First Game
The Lakers returned to Veterans Park for another busy day of high-level softball action. After going 3-1 against the Golden Knights in the regular season, they took on their crosstown rival once again. Mercyhurst started the game strong as Cheyenne Hindman singled to the left side, bringing in a run and advancing two runners to make it 1-0. Brianne Egelston followed with a single, scoring Allison Dejidas, and extending the lead to 2-0. Later in the inning, Jessica Clark reached first on a throwing error, allowing two more runs to score, making it 4-0 in Mercyhurst's favor.
Gannon managed to get a run on the board in the third inning and scored again in the fourth, cutting down the lead to 4-2. Mercyhurst responded with a run of their own when Dejidas reached first on a fielding error, allowing Madison Fry to score and bringing the score to 5-2.
In the fifth inning, Gannon's Josie Spano hit a home run, making it 5-3 with two more innings to go. The Lakers held onto their lead for the rest of the game and eliminated Gannon from postseason play while advancing to the next round of the tournament, to take on Slippery Rock at 3:00 p.m.
Second Game
The second game started very quiet as both teams struggled to get on base early. The first scoring play happened in the third inning when Clark hit a single down the left field line, scoring two runs as Hindman and Eliza Reynolds crossed home plate, to put Mercyhurst ahead 2-0.
However, Slippery Rock quickly responded in the bottom of the same inning with a homer down the left field line by Alexsa Hurd to tie the game at 2-2.
In the sixth inning, Slippery Rock took the lead with Alyssa Sheely's home run to center field, putting them ahead 3-2. Mercyhurst didn't give up, though, and in the top of the seventh inning, Reynolds grounded out to the shorts stop, as Fry made it home and tied the game 3-3.
Hindman then doubled to left center, scoring Dejidas and giving Mercyhurst the lead at 4-3, which they were able to hold onto until the end of the game, with Alexa North's impressive pitching performance in the bottom of the seventh.
Hear From Lakers
What's Next
The Lakers advanced to the next round and are scheduled to take on East Stroudsburg at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow.
