In her senior year of college, it’s a little harder to ignore when it’s atop the PSAC rankings.

Scott’s average is up to .489 despite the Gannon University softball team being on a four-game losing streak. Gannon’s doubleheader with Mansfield, scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed due to inclement weather. No makeup date has been announced.

Having lost back-to-back doubleheaders to Edinboro and California universities of Pennsylvania, Gannon’s PSAC record fell to .500.

“I know after (Edinboro), a lot of us were angry about the way we played,” Scott said. “I know it’s not that bad though. When we make mistakes, it’s because we beat ourselves most of the time.”

No. 20 Gannon remains second in the PSAC Western Division with a 4-4 conference record as part of a 19-6 season mark.

California, which is first in the West, made certain the order stayed the same Sunday by coming from behind and scoring the winning runs in the final at-bat of 3-2 and 6-4 wins.

The 10th-ranked Vulcans broke a 2-2 tie when Stephani Ellis led off the inning by belting a walk-off homer off of Megan Dragon.  The nightcap provided only more disappointment for the Knights, who surrendered a 4-1 lead when Cal tallied five off Jess Rectenwald in the sixth.

“Cal’s the No. 1 team in our division, we knew that going in,” coach Tom Jakubowski said. “The Edinboro losses were hard to take.”

The Knights will have another chance at a rival when they make the short trip to Mercyhurst University Thursday.

A common theme throughout their four-game slide, the Knights struggled hitting in clutch spots.

In each of its losses to Edinboro, Gannon left 12 runners on base and didn’t fare much better against Cal, Jakubowski said.

“When you don’t get hits in key spots, it’s hard to win games, and they know that,” he said. “It’s just a matter of us getting into spots where we can drive in the runners on base.”

Getting runners on base hasn’t been a problem from the lead-off spot, where Scott’s .539 on-base percentage ranks fourth in the PSAC. Her seven home runs and 24 RBIs are also tops among the Knights.

But Scott said her team doesn’t see success as an individual accomplishment.

“I think our success has to do with everyone playing together and whenever one person plays bad, we know the rest of the team is going to pick them up,” she said.

Often times, that’s meant Scott, who hit .230 in her freshman and sophomore seasons before hitting .304 last season.

“My freshman and sophomore year, it seemed like I was in a two-year slump,” Scott said. “I worked really hard, hit almost every day, and last year it started coming around.”

Since then, the flood gates have opened for Scott, Jaukowski said.

“She’s the classic example of a kid who had to learn how to play at this level and she really worked her butt off to the point where she’s blossomed this year,” he said.

With 12 regular-season games left, Scott is threatening Gannon’s single-season average record, which has stood since 1982 when Mary Kay Lynch hit .513 in 12 games. Sarah Kane set the record for full-time players with a .489 average in 1999.

The offensive tear Scott has enjoyed began when she noticed a minor adjustment in her swing.

“It was really just the smallest adjustment that I had to keep my hands in.”

Hands that Scott has plans for.

“I want a ring,” Scott said. “If you get a ring, it means you’ve won the PSAC, which also qualifies you for the NCAA tournament. It’s the ultimate goal.”

JOE CUNEO

cuneo001@knights.gannon.edu

That’s fine with her.

On the mound, the mechanical engineering major might as well have a Ph.D.

Dragon and fellow senior Erica Bartholow, along with sophomore Jess Rectenwald, make up one of the most formidable — and diverse — pitching staffs in the PSAC.

It is a luxury to have such a variety of arms at his disposal, said Gannon coach Tom Jakubowski.

“Everyone brings a different personality to the table and it’s nice because that gives us a lot of different options,” Jakubowski said of Gannon’s rotation.

While this year’s staff ranks second in the PSAC West with an ERA around 2.50, the same group produced an even better mark of 2.28 in 2012.

The trio’s consistency over the past two seasons have made their dominance seem routine, Gannon’s trio has been a long time in the making.

“I’ve been pitching since I was 8 years old,” said Dragon, who has been Gannon’s ace for the last four of them. “My dad instilled in me from a young age that winning, is basically all there is.”

That’s been the case for the most part this season for the right-handed Dragon, who is 10-2 with a 1.95 ERA.

Tuesday was the exception, however, when Edinboro University handed Gannon its only conference losses of the season when it managed the game’s only three runs off Dragon in the sixth inning in game one of a doubleheader. Bartholow and Rectenwald fared little better in the nightcap, combining to allow a season-high 11 runs in an 11-8 loss. Gannon fell to 19-4 overall and 4-2 in PSAC West play.

The loss likely didn’t sit well with Dragon, as they rarely ever do.

“When I’m out there, I try to strike everyone out,” she said.

Jakubowski agrees.

“She brings a total bulldog mentality to the mound. She just refuses to back down from anyone,” Jakubowski said. “She is one of the fiercest competitors I’ve ever coached.”

A surgeon on the mound, Dragon features an arsenal of six pitches that she can throw at any time.

“She doesn’t throw as hard as probably 50 percent of the conference, but she’s got a killer rise ball and outstanding control,” Jakubowski said.

The distinction of power pitcher goes to Bartholow. With a fastball topping out at 63 miles per hour, Jakubowski also uses Bartholow in relief situations, a role which he said she’s comfortable with.

“It takes a different kind of mentality to come out of the bullpen and have to finish what somebody else has started, but she’s unique in that she’s sometimes a little more at ease when she’s not starting,” he said of Bartholow, who leads the team with three saves to go along with an undefeated 6-0 record.

Manning the third slot in the rotation, Rectenwald has a different mentality altogether.

A center fielder by trade, the sophomore would just as soon track down fly balls than take the mound.

“Center is my position,” said Rectenwald, who also bats third in Gannon’s lineup. “I’ll throw if they ask me to.”

But with a 2-1 record to go along with a 3.12 ERA, Jakubowski has already named Rectenwald Gannon’s opening day starter for 2014.

“At first, I didn’t like pitching but as I’ve gotten more experience, I’ve accepted that it’s something I have to do,” Rectenwald said.

Gannon has called on the left-handed Rectenwald to make the short walk from the outfield to the rubber several times this year.

A basketball player in high school, Jakubowski said Rectenwald is the best athlete on the team who is still learning to pitch.

“When she is locating down in the zone, it’s hard to put a ball in play off her,” he said. “Just like any young pitcher, she sometimes has to work on her control.”

Rectenwald relies mainly on her changeup and uses a curveball that cuts in on right-handers.

She credits Dragon and Bartholow for teaching her the ropes as the junior member of the staff.

“Megan has been great, teaching me a rise ball and Erica has been there just to help me keep my head on straight,” she said. “We all respect each other as individuals.”

Gannon’s pitching prowess has not gone unnoticed by the PSAC, who named Dragon pitcher of the week again Monday.

Dragon has done all this while battling shoulder soreness for much of the season, though she said her condition is improving.

“I’m going to play so it was just a matter of toughening it up,” Dragon said.

She didn’t want to leave where she’s most happy.

“When I’m out there pitching,” Dragon said, “I’ve never felt so comfortable.”

JOE CUNEO

cuneo001@knights.gannon.edu

2012 season: 30-17 record (10-6 PSAC); second in PSAC West. The Knights reached the PSAC conference tournament where they lost to Bloomsburg University, 7-1, and Mercyhurst University 6-5.

Key Players lost (2012 statistics): 3B Ashley Petrone, started 44 games, .317 batting average, 31 RBIs tied for team lead; OF Jaleesa Sledge, started all 47 games, hit team-leading six home runs, third on team with .316 average; OF Katie Killian, started 41 games, hit .301.

Starting Lineup (2013 statistics through 15 games):

C — Alyssa Bates, freshman (.270 batting average, two doubles, 5 RBIs)/ Katie Dunn, sophomore (.250, one double, 4 RBIs)

1B — Caitlyn Colucci, sophomore (.229 average, one home run, 4 RBIs)

2B — Kirstie Cortazzo, junior (.432 average, four doubles, one home run, 15 RBIs)

3B — Kasey McKay, freshman (.171 average, three doubles, 5 RBIs)

SS — Samantha Scott, senior (.409 average, two home runs, 11 RBIs, 14 runs)

LF — Alexa Archambeault, freshman (.478 average, three home runs, five doubles, 13 RBIs)

CF — Jess Rectenwald, sophomore (.298 average, one home run, 8 RBIs)

RF — Meghan Cunha, sophomore (.237 average, one double, 6 RBIs)

Starting Rotation:

RHP — Megan Dragon, senior (7-1 record, 2.17 ERA, 48 1/3 innings pitched, 59 strikeouts)

RHP — Erica Bartholow, senior (5-0, 2.40, 35, 24)

LHP — Rectenwald (0-1, 5.25, 13 2/3, 10)

Key Games (opponents’ 2013 Records):

Mercyhurst (8-10 overall) — Away: March 29; Home: April 18

Calfornia University of Pennsylvania (14-0) — Away: April 12; Home: April 27

Edinboro (2-1) — Home: April 9; Away: April 26

*All dates are doubleheaders

Outlook:

Gannon is off to a phenomenal start, having won 13 of its first 15 games, all of which were non-conference.

The Knights are scheduled to play for the first time at home this season when they host Seton Hill for a doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Coach Tom Jakubowski, who won his 100th career game in Gannon’s 5-4 win over Bethel on March 10, said he has been impressed with his team so far.

“We’re off to a great start,” he said. “We’re very much a team. We’ve had somebody new step up almost every game.”

The Knights have especially excelled in close games, having already gone 7-1 in games decided by two or fewer runs.

Gannon’s experienced pitching staff, led by senior ace Megan Dragon, has been the hallmark of the team so far. Dragon, along with fellow senior Erica Bartholow, are both enjoying solid seasons so far.

“It’s good because you really need to have two strong starters to make a run at the PSAC championship,” Jakubowski said.

A large part of the Knights’ success can be attributed to a talented young group of players who have contributed this season. Six of Gannon’s eight position players are freshmen or sophomores.

Alexa Archambeault has been the best among the group, having already been named PSAC Player of the Week twice. The left fielder’s .478 average ranks second among all position players in the PSAC.

Junior second baseman Kirstie Cortazzo and senior captain and shortstop Samantha Scott are also each batting over .400.

Jakubowski said Gannon has its eye on the NCAA tournament.

“Conference games mean a lot to us, but we want to finish in the top eight in the Region and play into the second week in May,” he said.

Despite the fact that coach Tom Jakubowski said many people weren’t expecting the Gannon University softball team to advance deep into the postseason this year, the Knights have not only earned a spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament, they still have a shot at an NCAA Tournament bid.

“That would be a dream come true,” Jakubowski said. “If someone told me at the beginning of the season we’d have a shot at the NCAAs I’d have told them, ‘You’re crazy.’”

Though Gannon was only able to earn a split during a doubleheader with Slippery Rock University Thursday, it was enough to secure a PSAC Tournament berth. Gannon won the first game 4-2 and lost the second 4-3.

Gannon went on to roll past Edinboro University during Sunday’s rescheduled doubleheader by scores of 3-0 and 5-2.

Junior pitcher Megan Dragon led the Knights in Sunday’s opening game for her third consecutive win, nearly throwing a perfect seven innings before giving up a double in the top of the seventh.

“She just dominated,” Jakubowski said.

Dragon struck out 12 Fighting Scots and didn’t allow one walk, a performance that earned her second PSAC Pitcher of the Week award this season – the sixth of her career. This feat is something Dragon said she strives for each week.

“It was a little upsetting giving up that one hit, but it felt really good,” she said. “I moved the ball around and my rise ball was on.”

Dragon’s performance was welcomed by Jakubowski, who said Gannon’s pitching had hit a rough patch in several of the games prior.

“We had pitched in warm weather a lot. The spring was so nice here and down in Florida, then when it got cold we struggled but now we’ve seemed to acclimate,” he said. “In the cold you grip the ball differently, it feels different in your hand, the spin on the ball is different. It’s an adjustment and our pitchers have made it.”

The second game of the day was a come from behind victory for the Knights, who were also celebrating senior day. To honor senior day, Jakubowski said he played all of the seniors and that they rose to the occasion.

“The fact that they came through and won that game for us was really neat.”

Dragon also said that this year’s seniors will be missed.

“They brought a lot to the table,” Dragon said. “Heart, dedication, desire, intensity, and they all contributed in different ways at different times.”

Jakubowski said that this group of seniors, who came into the program with him four years ago “when things weren’t going very well,” bring a strong ethic to the team that will be missed.

“They helped make this a team, not just a group of individuals,” he said. “They sacrificed for the good of the team, but when they were called upon they were ready. And it showed in the last game.”

The Knights, who are currently ranked seventh in the NCAA Atlantic Regional rankings, will begin postseason play Wednesday with a 1 p.m. matchup against Bloomsburg University, the No. 2 seed from the Central Division. The game will be held in Driften, Pa.

Jakubowski said that though the Knights have not played Bloomsburg this season, they know they are up against a tough contender.

“We’ll have our hands full, but we seem to rise to the occasion,” he said. “We’ll be ready to go, I’m not worried.”

Dragon also said that she is confident the team will continue to perform in the postseason.

“Our defense and offense have been solid,” she said. “If we play like we have been, we’ll be good.”

CHRISTINE PEFFER

peffer002@knights.gannon.edu

The Knights took on Mansfield at home on Tuesday and split a pair of close games with the Mountaineers. Gannon took the first game 3-0 and lost the second by a 5-2 margin.

Junior shortstop Sam Scott said that although the team hit well in the first game, their offense went cold in the second.

“We didn’t hit and we made errors,” she said. “I feel like we were just so lethargic today and after we got down a couple of runs, we let up as a team.”

Despite the sluggish showing in the second game against Mansfield, Coach Tom Jakubowski said that the team is on the precipice of qualifying for PSAC playoffs, and is also in the hunt for an NCAA bid.

“Right now we’re hitting the ball extremely well,” he said. “That [NCAA bid] would be really sweet because nobody expected we would get that far this year, but we’re really close.”

The Knights’ recent wins over the weekend played a crucial role in putting them in this position. They dismantled a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics opponent in Point Park University on Friday by scores of 16-3 and 15-2.

Jakubowski said that he was happy with the way the team hit the ball against a solid Point Park lineup.

“We have really turned it up a notch,” he said. “We played a really good Point Park team, who has a tremendous batting average, and we had been struggling.”

The Knights’ bats certainly weren’t struggling against the Pioneers, as Gannon cranked out nine home runs in just two games with 10 different players recording hits.

“Nine home runs,” Jakubowski said. “I talk about it now and I literally can’t believe it happened.”

Freshman outfielder Megan Cunha accounted for three of the home runs, while also driving in eight runs and scoring five times in Gannon’s two-game rout of Point Park. Cunha was 5-for-8 from the plate.

Jakubowski characterized Cunha’s home runs as “majestic.”

“They probably went 260, 270 feet,” he said.

Jakubowski said the highlight of the evening, though, was senior outfielder Lindsay Corbett’s first career home run.

“Everyone just loves Lindsay, and the fact that she hit that home run was really great.”

Jakubowski said that it is always good to see seniors, including Corbett, an Erie, Pa., native, contribute to the team like that.

“Those are special moments,” he said.

Megan Dragon earned the win for the Knights, pitching for five innings. The junior allowed just five hits and struck out four batters.

Gannon went on to split Saturday’s matchups against Mercyhurst University. The Knights’ bats remained hot, but in the first game they allowed the Lakers to get a seven run lead going into the last inning. Though they tallied five runs in the seventh, it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit and Mercyhurst held on to record the 10-8 victory.

“We’re like Jekyll and Hyde,” Jakubowski said. “When we hit the ball, we hit the ball like crazy, and when we don’t we’re terrible.”

The Knights were able to bounce back, however, and carry their late momentum into the second game, where they, according to Jakubowski, “clubbed” the Lakers by a score of 10-2.

Scott led the team with two homeruns; her first since her freshman year.

The Knights continue their home stand this week with four more games against two opponents. The team will take on Slippery Rock University Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Edinboro University Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Jakubowski said that if the Knights stay focused, they will have a good chance of going deep into the postseason.

“If we just make the plays that we should make, we’ll be okay,” he said. “We’re very excited about what the end of the season can hold for us.”

CHRISTINE PEFFER

peffer002@knights.gannon.edu

For the Gannon University softball team, at least.

The Knights split both sets of doubleheaders with conference contenders California and Indiana universities of Pennsylvania on Friday and Monday.

In the first of those two matchups, coach Tom Jakubowski said he was pleased with the team for stealing one from the typically dominant Vulcans, who Jakubowski said are always the ones to beat in the conference.

“Cal’s kind of like the gold standard,” he said. “We were happy with the split because they’re such a good team and we were playing there, but we were disappointed because we were so close. It would have been monumental.”

The first game against Cal was decided after sophomore Kirstie Cortazzo crushed a grand slam in the eighth inning of play to cement the 9-4 victory. Junior Sam Scott said the team played well in order to pull off the upset.

“Nobody expects Gannon softball to beat Cal, especially on their own field,” she said. “With Kirstie starting off the game with a homerun and ending it with a grand slam, epic.”

Gannon was extremely close in the second game as well, holding the Vulcans scoreless through six innings of action and posting the first run of the game in the seventh inning. However, Cal was bolstered to victory by the bat of Shelby Heyd, who Jakubowski said could have been wearing a Gannon uniform that day.

“We had been recruiting her, so it was kind of ironic,” he said.

Though the Knights looked to carry their momentum into Saturday against IUP, their hopes of doing so were doused by a rain delay that pushed the game back to Monday.

“At first I thought that a day off might be good for us,” Jakubowski said, “but now that I look back, I think the momentum we had from Friday at Cal we sort of lost over the weekend because even though we won one, we didn’t play well.”

After gutting out the first game for a win, the Knights couldn’t get their offense going against IUP pitcher Kelly King, who pitched a four-hit shutout.

“She was a good pitcher, but it wasn’t like she was a dominant pitcher,” Jakubowski said. “We were flat, we were really flat. I was really disappointed.”

Jakubowski said that something he likes about his team is that there are no superstars, but that this forces new people to step up in each game.

“It seems like every game, somebody else steps up and has a big game to help us win,” he said. “In that second game it didn’t happen, nobody stepped up.”

Looking ahead, the Knights will take on Mercyhurst and Slippery Rock universities 1 p.m. Friday at the Gannon University Field and Saturday at Slippery Rock.

Jakubowski said in order for the Knights to be successful against these teams – especially the Lakers, who were picked by the coaches to finish first in the PSAC, even ahead of Cal – they will have to be more consistent with their hitting.

“It seems like we’re really hot and cold when we’re on offense,” he said. “There’s games we’ll score nine runs, there’s games we’ll score no runs. We have to find a happy-medium.”

Scott said that the loss to IUP will only serve to motivate.

“They [Mercyhurst] are sitting first in the PSAC,” she said. “I know there’s nothing more we’d like to do than take that away from them.”

CHRISTINE PEFFER

peffer002@knights.gannon.edu

Led by junior pitchers, Erica Bartholow and Megan Dragon, the team was able to end the weekend in Salem with a 4-1 record.

Coach Tom Jakubowski said that pitching was the strongest part of the Knights’ game, with Bartholow ending the weekend in Salem at 2-1 and Dragon finishing at 2-0.

“Both Erica and Megan threw strikes, kept the ball down in the strike zone and were in command most of the time,” he said. “We performed well against very good competition.”

Dragon, who pitched for 12 innings over the weekend and recorded an ERA of .58, was named Monday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week. Though this is the first time she has earned this recognition this season, it is the fifth time of her career.

According to Dragon, the key to her recent success is hard work and having a talented team behind her.

“It’s a great honor,” she said. “I was excited when I found out.”

She gave up just one earned run and two walks while tacking on 13 strike-outs. Bartholow earned the same award two weeks earlier.

On the offensive side of play, senior outfielder Jaleesa Sledge led the Knights with a 1.000 slugging percentage and .538 on-base percentage after the weekend’s five contests.

The Knights went on to sweep the double-header at Seton Hill, handily defeating the Griffins 6-3 in the first of the two games and winning the second in an extra-inning thriller, thanks to the bat of freshman Megan Cunha. Cunha hit the home run in the eighth inning of play.

Dragon said she attributes the win to the Knights’ tenacity.

“We brought our intensity up,” she said. “We really pulled together as a team on offense and defense.”

Jakubowski said that the team will need to stay focused in order to stay sharp against strong competition coming up this weekend.

“This week is a very difficult one for us,” he said. “Cal and IUP are two of the better teams in the entire Atlantic region.”

One thing Jakubowski said he thinks the team needs to work on in order to contend with these teams is its ability to put points on the board.

“We do need to improve the consistency of our offense,” he said.

Gannon returns to action Friday and Saturday with matchups against California and Indiana universities of Pennsylvania. The 1 p.m. Saturday contest will be played at Gannon University Field. The Knights currently boast an overall record of 13-6 heading into the weekend.

CHRISTINE PEFFER

peffer002@knights.gannon.edu

 “Going into this year, we had two things we wanted to do,” Jakubowski said. “We wanted to go .500 and make the playoffs, and we did.”

With just four games left in regular season conference play, Gannon sat in fourth in the PSAC West with a 17-17 overall record and 4-8 in conference. In order to crack the top three and make the playoffs, the Knights had some work to do.

Gannon started the playoff push by traveling to Edinboro University to take on the Fighting Scots April 14 and quickly got to work.

After junior center fielder Jaleesa Sledge and sophomore shortstop Sam Scott reached base, junior third baseman Ashley Petrone doubled both players in to take a two-run lead. Sophomore catcher Tiffani Danks singled home another run in the first to provide the Knights with enough offense, as sophomore pitcher and PSAC strikeout leader Megan Dragon held Edinboro to two runs for her 14th win of the season.

After being spotted another first-inning two-run double by Petrone in the second game, Dragon looked to add to her win total, but ran into trouble. After inducing a groundout from Edinboro’s Marissa Pullo, Dragon gave up a solo home run to opposing pitcher Kari Falk. After allowing a single, Gannon put in sophomore pitcher Erica Bartholow, forcing Edinboro to keep a 2-1 lead.

Bartholow held the Fighting Scots to just four hits and one run over the next six innings, as the Knights offense scored in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings to complete the sweep with an 8-2 victory.

The wins pushed Gannon’s record to 19-17 and 6-8 in the PSAC West with just two games left against PSAC powerhouse California (Pa.) University April 15.  At 6-8 in conference, The Knights were tied with Slippery Rock University for the final playoff spot.

Cal just came off a sweep of Slippery Rock, and looked ready to hobble another bubble team’s playoff hopes in the first game after scoring four runs in the first two frames against Dragon. The Knights offense, after combining for 21 hits against Edinboro, could only muster two against the Vulcans, leading to a 7-0 defeat in the first game.

With a combination of timely hitting, and a little luck, the Knights kept their playoff hopes alive in the second game.

After an RBI single by sophomore designated player Sarah Rinks gave Gannon a 1-0 lead with runners on second and third and one out in the second inning, Cal gave the Knights a gift, allowing another run on a Vulcan error, giving Gannon another out to work with. Sledge capitalized on the miscue, pounding a 3-1 pitch out of the park for a three-run home run. The Knights would go on to score two more runs for a quick 7-0 lead.

Cal would respond with a four-run inning in the third, but couldn’t muster up enough offense to overtake the lead, as the Knights would tack on another run for an 8-6 win to push the Knights’ record 20-18 on the season.

At 7-9, Gannon sat in the final playoff spot, but still needed some help from the unlikeliest of sources: crosstown rival Mercyhurst College.

With Slippery Rock lurking behind Gannon at 6-8 in conference with two games left against the Lakers, the Knights’ playoff spot was still in jeopardy. However, Mercyhurst swept the doubleheader, ensuring Gannon’s first-ever spot in PSAC postseason play since joining the league in 2008-09.

According to Jakubowski, everyone contributed down the stretch for the Knights.

“We just really came together,” he said. “We had a real team effort. It was the result of a lot of young ladies that came together to get us in the playoffs.”

While the road to a .500 season took almost two months, Gannon only spent one day in the postseason after losing to Kutztown and Bloomsburg universities.

Errors plagued the Knights in a 9-1 loss to Kutztown Thursday. Dragon gave up nine runs in the game, but only three earned after a trio of defensive miscues doomed Gannon, something Jakubowski said that the team will have to improve on for the upcoming season.

“We just dropped three thrown balls that led to the unearned runs,” Jakubowski said. “We learned how far we have to go to be one of the better teams in the PSAC.”

The Knights’ woes shifted from defense to offense against Bloomsburg, as Gannon was held to just two hits in the team’s final game of the season, falling 4-0.

Despite the quick ousting, Jakubowski said he was pleased with how the year turned out.

“Just the fact that we got to the playoffs is great,” Jakubowski said. “We’re about a year ahead of schedule. The [postseason] experience will really help down the road.”

According to Jakubowski, every player should be returning next season. With so much experience coming back, Jakubowski said that after defeating the vaunted Vulcans and reaching postseason play, teams should look out for the Knights next year.

“Now people have to take us seriously,” Jakubowski said. “Gannon is a force to be reckoned with in the future.”

ALEX BIELER

bieler001@gannon.edu

In one last hoorah for the spring semester, athletes representing a multitude of sports across campus gear up to take on their professors as both groups lace up the cleats in the second annual Jocks vs. Docs softball game 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gannon University Field.

All proceeds from the event will benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation. Last year, the event raised $300.

The matchup on the diamond serves as the second time this year the Student Athlete Advisory Committee has held a competition between staff and students for the foundation.

In March, the Jocks vs. Docs volleyball game brought the SAAC’s total contribution to more than $500 for the year. 

The Jocks roster will boast Gannon Knight notables like junior women’s volleyball player Alex DelPiombo, men’s basketball point guard Steve Piotrowicz, junior wrestler Jose Matos and senior football player Michael Schnell.

Diamond regulars Lou Downey, Eric Bradley and Katie Killian will manage the jocks club.

The Jocks roster won’t do much to frighten the docs as the professors look to bring their own mix of youth and experience to the field.

Assistant Professor of History Jeff Bloodworth, the Rev. Jason Glover as well as Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations and former Hillsdale College softball player Katie Botsis highlight a Docs team of 15 players.

As the softball game serves to underline the players’ skill, the Gannon University athletic department looks to honor the teams with the presentation of the Knight Cup.

The Cup, which is also in its sophomore season, is a way to measure a team’s commitment to academics, school spirit and community. Last year the women’s basketball team won the award.

The award will be presented to the Gannon University football team as its community service – which ranked near the top of all clubs and organizations on campus – was enough to overcome the competition.

The football team, which narrowly defeated the women’s soccer team, split up into groups and held a mini-Knight Cup to encourage participation.

Even though not all of the 18 team sports could come away with the Cup, some made their mark in specific areas.

The men’s and women’s cross country teams topped the field in academic excellence while the wrestling team won the “big game events” category – at least five wrestlers would attend sporting event throughout the year.

The Knight Cup will be awarded to the football team during the athletic department banquet 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Yehl Ballroom.

ZACK MCDERMOTT

mcdermot002@gannon.edu

(Tessy Pawlowski) Gannon University freshman second baseman Kristie Cortazzo (22) dives for a ground ball during a doubleheader against Seton Hill University Sunday. Cortazzo hit a grand slam in Gannon's win over Lake Erie College Tuesday.

“When the season started, I said I would be happy with a .500 record,” Jakubowski said. “With not much of the season left, we’ve got a shot.”

The Knights sit at 17-17 for the season with six scheduled games left after going 4-6 during a busy week. Due to some rescheduling, Gannon played eight games over a four-day stretch, starting with Thursday’s doubleheader against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division powerhouse California (Pa.) University.

Gannon struck first against the No. 24 nationally ranked Vulcans, taking a 1-0 lead after freshman catcher Katie Dunn singled home junior centerfielder Jaleesa Sledge in the bottom of the first.  Sledge added a solo shot in the third to push the lead to two, but Cal responded in the next frame, cutting the lead back to one.

The Vulcans pulled ahead in the fifth after a misplayed ball in the outfield led to a double, soon followed by Jillian Russell’s two-run blast, pushing Cal up for good, 3-2 to give sophomore pitcher Megan Dragon her seventh loss of the season.

Despite the loss, Jakubowski said he was pleased by how close the Knights came to besting the California juggernaut.

“We had them 2-1 and misplayed one ball and the next person just happened to hit a home run,” Jakubowski said. “Cal came in undefeated in the conference and we nearly beat them, so that was really promising.”

The Knights showed more competitive spirit over the first three innings of the second game, but three home runs proved not to be enough to overcome the Vulcans.

A grand slam by Sledge, as well as solo shots by freshman designated player Rachel Meyer and left fielder Katie Killian, proved no match for a Cal squad that compiled 16 hits and nine walks en route to a 13-6 drubbing for a sweep of the doubleheader.

Gannon stopped the short slide the next day when Dragon took the mound in the opening game against Slippery Rock University. Dragon stymied the Rock offense, allowing just one run on four hits for the Knights. The Gannon offense sprung for 10 hits to take the first game 4-1.

The second game, however, proved to be a different story. The Knights’ hitters could only muster two hits and actually had more success when the bats stayed on their shoulders, drawing nine walks. Despite the free base runners, Gannon could only score a pair to lose 6-2

The fifth and sixth games of the stretch came against crosstown rival Mercyhurst College. A three-run third inning was enough for the Lakers to chase Dragon for the game, but sophomore pitcher Erica Bartholow did the best she could to keep the Knights in the game, pitching three shutout innings after the Knights fell behind.

It took until the sixth inning for Gannon to score, but a base running error helped limit the Knights to just two, eventually falling 3-2.

“We seemed dead, just lethargic,” Jakubowski said. “We could have won, but we played sloppy. Some teams can make a mistake here and there and win. We can’t.”

Gannon rectified the previous game’s errors after another strong effort from Dragon. The Knights struck in the first off junior third baseman Ashley Petrone’s two-run single, providing enough wiggle room for Dragon to earn her 11th win of the season by a score of 5-1.

The Knights had yet another doubleheader the next day, taking on Seton Hill University Sunday.

Neither offense could get much going as Dragon and Seton Hill’s Louanne Wiegand posted zeroes on the board for the first five innings. It wasn’t until the sixth that either team scored, when Seton Hill scored after a two-out triple.

Gannon’s offense arose from its slumber when freshman designated player Christie Valentino singled home the tying run in the bottom of the seventh. With runners on second and third and one out, Jakubowski called for the suicide squeeze, with junior outfielder Toni Caruso’s bunt allowing the winning run to score.

“We were flat and had to generate the score,” Jakubowski said. “Instead of some players being aggressive with runners on third, some of them seem to tighten up.”

The offense loosened up in the second inning of the next game, although it took three chances with the bases loaded for the Knights to take advantage of the opportunity.

With the bases juiced, Seton Hill pitcher Caitlyn Kamalich induced a Gannon pop-up and strike out before Sledge cleared the bases with a two-out double. Seton Hill matched the Knights three-run inning in the fourth, but it was Seton Hill’s seventh inning heroics that proved the margin of victory, as a two-out single was enough for a 4-3 victory.

After a short break, the Knights traveled to Painesville, Ohio, to play Lake Erie College. Lake Erie took an early 2-0 lead, but Gannon exploded for five runs in the sixth, including freshman second baseman Kirstie Cortazzo’s grand slam. The Knights would tack on one more run for the 6-2 victory.

Gannon couldn’t solve the Storm’s Sara Shields in the second game, mustering only two hits as the Knights fell 1-0, despite Bartholow’s strong performance.

With over three-fourths of the season over, Jakubowski’s goals of a .500 season could be a reality, although he said that he’s pleased with the way his team has played already.

“We’re inexperienced, we’re hurting and we’re just not as talented as other teams, but we will be soon,” Jakubowski said. “I’m really proud of these girls.”

ALEX BIELER

bieler001@gannon.edu