Box Score (New/Sortable Format) 1 | Box Score (New/Sortable Format) 2 Game One Box Score (HTML)  |  Game Two Box Score (HTML)

ERIE, Pa. (April 9, 2013) – A mixture of strong pitching and timely hitting, led by a mammoth day at the plate from senior Ashley Black, resulted in a doubleheader sweep for the Edinboro softball team in a pair of upsets over No. 22 Gannon on Tuesday afternoon. The Fighting Scots (5-14, 2-2 PSAC West) came out on top in a game one pitcher's duel, 3-0, before outslugging Gannon (19-4, 4-2), 11-8, in the nightcap.
 
The Boro victories snap both a seven-game winning streak that Gannon had enjoyed entering the day as well as a six-game losing skid against their local rival. Edinboro also became the first team to beat Gannon in both ends of a doubleheader in nearly a year - the Golden Knights' last back-to-back losses in a twin bill came on April 12, 2012. 
 
The Fighting Scots broke through in their half of the sixth for the only scoring in the opener. Brooke Owen ripped a one-out double to left and moved to third on an infield single off the bat of Brenna Cosgrove. Black brought home the game's first run with a single through the right side to set the stage for Stephanie Cassidy's two-RBI double to left for a 3-0 lead.
 
Gannon had its opportunities, but Edinboro starter Amanda Shields was able to buckle down for outs when she had to have them. Gannon went just 2-for-14 with runners on base against Shields. The hosts had a golden opportunity in the fourth, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Shields worked her way out of the jam by picking up a pop out, foul out and ground out to strand the runners.
 
After Edinboro's productive sixth inning, Gannon nearly had an answer. A one-out walk to Rachel deGuia followed by a double from Samantha Scott brought the tying run to the plate, but Shields again worked a ground ball out to put out the fire.
 
Shields finished with her first complete game shutout of the season, scattering seven hits and walking four with one strikeout in 109 pitches.
 
Marissa Pullo had two hits out of the leadoff spot and Owen posted her second straight multi-hit game with two hits as well in the opener. Cosgrove also reached safely on a pair of singles.
 
Edinboro tagged Megan Dragon (10-2), the reigning PSAC West Pitcher of the Week, with the loss. Dragon surrendered nine hits and three earned runs, did not walk a batter and struck out seven.
 
The Fighting Scots pounded out a season-high 16 hits en route to a come-from-behind victory in game two for the sweep. Pullo led off the game with a walk and moved to third base following sacrifice bunts from Owen and Cosgrove. Black did the rest, punching an RBI single to right for a 1-0 lead.
 
The momentum kept building in the second inning as the Boro put up four runs in the frame. The first run came across on a Gannon throwing error. Owen then opened the flood gates by singling home two runs with a hit back up the middle. A sac fly from Black then extended the Edinboro advantage to 5-0.
 
The lead would be short lived, though. Gannon broke into the scoring column with an unearned run in the bottom of the second, cutting its deficit to four. An Edinboro error in the third paved the way for four unearned Golden Knights runs and suddenly the game was tied, 5-5.
 
Edinboro would grab the lead right back in its next at bat with some two-out magic. After two routine outs to begin the frame, Kylie Mason reached on a single up the middle and then scored in the next at-bat. Jennifer Long stroked a single to right center, moving the runner to third before a throwing error by the second baseman on a throw home allowed Mason to cross the plate for the 6-5 advantage.
 
Another Boro defensive lapse permitted Gannon to take its first lead in the bottom of the fifth. A throwing error on a force attempt allowed the inning to continue for a sac fly from Caitlyn Colucci and RBI single from Jess Rectanwald as Gannon jumped ahead by a run.
 
Another offensive answer from the Scots put the visitors back on top in the sixth. Cosgrove tied the game at 7-7 on a base hit to left, scoring Pullo who had singled to lead off the inning. Black put the Boro ahead for good in the next at-bat, firing the first pitch she saw from Rectenwald out to left for a two-run homer and a 9-7 edge.  
Black continued her tear at the plate, adding some insurance in the seventh. With two outs and runners standing at second and third, the senior poked a single down the left field line to plate two more runs for her sixth RBI of the game and seventh of the day.
 
Gannon would get a run back in the seventh on a solo home run from Samantha Scott, but would not threaten any further.
 
The six RBIs from Black in game two were part of a 4-for-6 day at the plate along with two runs. Black now owns 65 RBIs for her Edinboro career, moving her just one away from a tie for fifth in school history.
 
Victoria Filbert set a new career-high with three hits as well as two runs scored in the nightcap. Cosgrove, Owen and Pullo all recorded two hits apiece while every batter in the Edinboro nine had at least one hit.
 
Shields (4-8) earned the victory in relief, tossing 4.2 innings of five-hit ball with just one earned run, walking two and striking out one. Roxanne Herrington picked up the start for Edinboro, working 2.1 innings while allowing seven hits and five runs, all of which were unearned, with one walk and one punch out.
 
Rectenwald (2-2) was charged with the loss, surrendering 13 hits and six earned runs in five innings of relief.
 
Edinboro will try to keep its momentum alive with a doubleheader at Slippery Rock on Wednesday afternoon.