ABINGTON, Pa. - The Gallaudet University softball team dropped a pair of United East Conference games here Sunday to Penn St.-Abington by the scores of 15-6 and 20-4 in five innings. 

Game 1: Penn St.-Abington 15, Gallaudet 6 (F/5)
GU got on the scoreboard first with two runs in the top of the first as the Bison took advantage of several miscues by the Nittany Lions. The Bison went on to score two runs in the third and fifth innings.

The Bison trailed 9-2 as they entered the third inning where freshman Jade Dawson (Clearlake Oaks, Calif.) delivered a two-run single to center field to plate freshmen Kaci Ketchum (Austin, Texas) and Caitlyn Smith (Indianapolis, Ind.). GU ran itself out of the inning with a double play but had cut the lead down to 9-4. 

In the fifth, Gallaudet faced a 15-4 deficit but two more Penn St.-Abington errors allowed the Bison to score two more runs before the game ended.

Smith and Dawson (two RBI) led the Bison with two hits each while Ketchum and freshman Elaine Swecker (San Diego, Calif.) recorded a double each. 

Sophomore Emma Giuntoli (Austin, Texas) hurled a complete game in the circle and only allowed five earned runs as the Bison committed five errors in the field to extend the innings.

Penn St.-Abington pitcher Laura VanHoeven (3-0) allowed six runs (two earned) on seven hits, two walks and one strikeout in the five-inning complete game.

Game 2: Penn St.-Abington 20, Gallaudet 4 (F/5)
In the second game, both teams started off slow before Penn St.-Abington (14-8, 9-3 United East) scored six runs in the second and 12 in the third to take control of the contest against Gallaudet (3-19, 3-11 United East).

GU got on the scoreboard in the fourth when Smith hit an infield hit to shortstop to plate Ketchum. The Bison added three runs in the fifth with two coming off the bat of Swecker, who tripled to right field. She eventually came around to score on a passed ball several batters later. 

The Bison received a hit from six different batters. Swecker (1-5) took the loss in the circle as she struck out three batters in 2.1 innings. Elyssa Bohr (8-3) threw a complete game for the Nittany Lions and struck out three.

UP NEXT
GU returns home to host Marymount (Va.) University (9-15) this Wednesday afternoon (April 13) at 4 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader.