The Pitt-Johnstown softball program celebrated Senior Day festivities on campus for the first time thanks to a field that was given new life during the offseason. Unfortunately, the Mountain Cats' afternoon was spoiled after they suffered 12-2 and 6-1 losses to Gannon in a PSAC West doubleheader that closed the book on the 2024 season on Sunday.

The Mountain Cats concluded the year at 7-35 overall and 4-26 in the PSAC. The Golden Knights capped the regular season at 30-11 overall with a 25-6 conference record on the way to claiming the PSAC Western Division crown.

During pregame ceremonies, coach Niki Cognigni-Pecora's team honored five seniors for their time and dedication to the program. That group included the versatile Tori Radvan, corner infielder Ailah Charles, pitcher Julie Shinavski, designated player and infielder Kayla Miehl and outfielder Shaylin Hagerman. 

All five enjoyed various opportunites to contribute in multiple roles over their four-year careers. Miehl made herself stand out with an impressive junior season that included a program-record 10 home runs and a First-Team All-PSAC West distinction as a designated player. She and Radvan, who started 144 games as a Mountain Cat, will both have strong cases for yearly awards in the coming weeks.

A leadoff double and a sacrifice fly two batters later gave Gannon a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game one that it did not relinquish. A five-run third inning that included a pair of two-run home runs put the Golden Knights up 6-0.

The Mountain Cats notched both of their runs in the third on a pair of solo shots. Radvan drilled her third home run of the year to lead off the inning, and one batter later, Julia Mooney launched her seventh home run to cut it to 6-2.

But the Golden Knights manufactured six runs over the fourth and fifth innings to bring the game to an early end. Katie Armstrong scattered seven hits over five innings to pick up the win in the circle.

Shinavski recorded three strikeouts and one walk across five innings and was tagged with the loss.

The second game was a prime pitcher's duel between Mia Smith and Gannon starter Josie Spano. Neither team scratched the scoreboard through the first five innings.

Gannon finally broke through in its half of the sixth when it received a trio of singles, including a two-out, two-RBI single by Gabi Vasi that broke the ice.

The Mountain Cats conjured up some two-out lightning of their own in the sixth when Miehl crushed a solo home run in her final collegiate at-bat.

A four-run seventh inning by the Golden Knights padded the lead and put the finishing touches on Spano's complete-game victory in the circle. Smith struck out 10 compared to just one walk in a complete-game effort, but was handed the loss.

Sydney Mitchell cracked a single for the Mountain Cats, and Hagerman notched an infield single in her last career at-bat in the fifth. Hagerman started a career-high 35 games this season for the Mountain Cats.

Pitt-Johnstown will bring back pitchers Smith, Addison Hilligsberg and Mahlon Yonkin and more than half of its everyday starting lineup heading into 2025, including Mooney, who finished the season tied for second in hits with 41 and Jenna Tallman, who had six home runs and 23 RBIs in 37 starts this season.

NOTE: Saturday's postponed home doubleheader against Clarion was canceled.