
Pitt-Johnstown was narrowly edged 3-1 in game one, but bounced back to claim a 6-1 victory over Gannon in game two to split a PSAC West softball doubleheader on Saturday at McConnell Family Stadium. The Mountain Cats stand at 11-23 overall and 6-16 in the conference.
The Mountain Cats pounded out 10 hits, and the run support was more than enough for freshman starter Mia Smith, who scattered five hits and allowed only one run in a complete game victory to even her record at 8-8.
Senior Laura Fox and junior Kayla Miehl each went 2-for-3, reached base three times and scored twice for Pitt-Johnstown. Miehl slugged her eighth home run of the season in the top of the fourth to set the final.
Julia Mooney collected two hits, two RBIs and scored a run. The sophomore catcher put the Mountain Cats on the board with an RBI single in the first and then made the Golden Knights pay in the top of the second when she singled home Emilia Santiago, who reached on a fielding error, to make it 2-0.
Miehl followed with a walk to load the bases, and Tori Radvan provided what would end up being the dagger with a bases-clearing three-run double to deep center field to push the lead to 5-0.
Gannon tallied its only run in the third courtesy of a Josie Spano sacrifice fly that scored Lynn Porter.
In game one, the Golden Knights drew first blood when Lily Gfeller hit a solo home run with two outs.
The Mountain Cats eventually knotted the game at 1-all in the fifth thanks to a single by Santiago that scored pinch runner Sydney Mitchell. But Gannon took the lead back for good in the bottom half of the inning when Ashley Fox walked, stole second and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Radvan suffered the loss in a complete game effort, surrendering three runs on four hits to pair with four strikeouts and a walk. She also doubled in the seventh. Smith and Maddie Flowers both recorded singles for the Mountain Cats.
Pitt-Johnstown returns home for a doubleheader opposite PSAC West leading Seton Hill on Tuesday. The first pitch from V.E. Erickson Complex is set for 2 p.m.