ERIE, Pa. – The Edinboro University softball team pushed the PSAC Western Division leading Gannon Lady Knights to nine innings in the nightcap, but couldn't avoid a season sweep as Gannon prevailed in a pair of one-run contests on Friday. It marks the first time since 2012 that the Fighting Scots were swept by their local rivals. Edinboro now sits at 13-16 overall and 4-8 in the PSAC West while the Lady Knights improved to 23-10 and 9-4, respectively.

The Fighting Scots return to action on Tuesday, April 25, making up a doubleheader with PSAC West foe Seton Hill that was previously rained out. Edinboro and Seton Hill will resume action in the bottom of the third inning in the first contest with the Fighting Scots leading 4-1.
 
Game One – Gannon 3, Edinboro 2
The day's opening contest featured a pitchers dual as both starting pitchers went the distance. Carley Nasca (4-5) got the start for Edinboro, giving up three runs on seven hits and striking out a pair. Olivia Gumbita (12-4) recorded the win for the Lady Knights giving up two runs on six hits and fanning nine Fighting Scots.

Both pitchers gave up just two hits each through four scoreless innings before Gannon got the scoring started in the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff single by Sarah Ingerick was followed up by a single from Jackie Martinez. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Allison Salerno before RBIs from Kellyn Perich and Kherrin Morgan gave the Lady Knights a 2-0 lead
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The Fighting Scots responded quickly, cutting the deficit to 2-1 in the next innings. Danna Heh led off the inning with a single and stole second before Theresa Fleckenstein singled to left to put runners on the corner. A double steal allowed Heh to take home and open the scoring for Edinboro.

The Lady Knights built the lead back up to two in the bottom half of the sixth on a Lisa Szajn RBI single to make it 3-1.

In the top of the seventh, the Fighting Scots cut it to 3-2 courtesy of a Roni Lipinski pinch hit homerun to left field. It was Lipinski's first career homerun. That was as close as Edinboro would cut it, however, as the final two batters went down on strikes.

Heh finished the opening contest 2-for-3. Lipinski made her one at bat count, jacking her first career homer.

Szajn was 2-for-3 with an RBI in the contest. Ingerick was also 2-for-3. Perich and Morgan added an RBI each.
 
Game Two – Gannon 5, Edinboro 4 (9 Inn.)
Friday's nightcap was even more hotly contested, needing extra innings to declare a winner.

This time it was Edinboro that started the scoring, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Emily Osterberg drew a leadoff walk and was advanced to third on groundouts by Heh and Fleckenstein. Osterberg came around to score on an error by the second baseman to give the Fighting Scots an early lead.

The Lady Knights tied it up two innings later in the bottom of the fourth on a Megan Smith RBI, but Edinboro quickly regained the lead in the next inning thanks to a Fleckenstein RBI triple and a Claire Johnston sacrifice fly.

The lead changes continued as Gannon retook the lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth. RBIs from Morrgan, Maria Taliani, and Smith gave the Lady Knights the lead.

The Lady Knights held on to the 4-3 lead until the top of the seventh when the Scots rallied. Bases were loaded for Johnston following a single from Heh, a double from Fleckenstein and Brooke Callaghan being intentionally walked. Johnston delivered in the clutch, delivering a sacrifice fly to center field to knot the contest at 4-4.

Gannon threatened to walk off with a victory in the bottom of the seventh as bases were loaded with one out, but Kalet Lenart forced Ingerick to ground into a double play and force extra innings.

Jessica Hyland led off the top of the eighth with a double and advanced to third on a ground out by Abigail Sallot, but was left stranded as the game shifted to the bottom of the eight with the score still tied at 4-4.

Gannon left a runner of their own stranded on third to conclude the bottom of the eighth as the two teams needed a ninth inning to decide a victor.

The Lady Knights were able to walk off with a bases loaded bunt single from Ingerick to win the game.  

Lenart (5-4) took the loss for the Fighting Scots, throwing 3.1 innings in relief of starter Amanda Metz. Lenart gave up just one run on six hits and struck out a batter. 

Gumbita (13-4) picked up the win in relief duty, striking out the only batter she faced in the top of the ninth.

Johnston finished the contest 1-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in. Fleckenstein was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Heh was 2-for-5 in the nightcap. Callaghan was 1-for-2 and drew three walks.