WASHINGTON - On a warm Saturday afternoon, the Gallaudet University softball team hosted Penn St.-Abington in a United East conference doubleheader. The Bison (3-31, 3-21 United East) were swept by the Nittany Lions (19-11, 14-6 United East) by the scores of 8-1 and 13-2 in five innings. These were the final home games of the season for the Bison, who posted a 3-21 record at the GU Softball Complex.

Game 1: Penn St.-Abington 8, Gallaudet 1
GU trailed 2-0 early before the buff and blue got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning to cut the Nittany Lions lead in half. Freshman Emily Nover (District Heights, Md.) doubled to the outfield and scored moments later on a RBI single from freshman Anya Pothorski (Indianapolis, Ind.) to right-center field as the Bison trailed 2-1.

The Nittany Lions  scored six unanswered runs as the visitors scored runs in five of the seven innings played.

GU finished with six hits in the game. Pothorski and freshman Danyeal Davis (Newport News, Va.) led the Bison with two hits each. Freshman Caitlyn Smith (Indianapolis, Ind.) had GU's other hit in the loss.

Freshman Elaine Swecker (San Diego, Calif.) took the loss in the circle as she threw a complete game and struck out one batter.

Penn St.-Abington starting pitcher Gretchen Yanss (4-6) earned the win as she pitched seven innings and struckout five. 

Game 2: Penn St.-Abington 13, Gallaudet 2 (F/5)
In the second game, Penn St.-Abington held a modest 3-0 lead as the Nittany Lions went into the fourth inning and scored 10 times off the Bison. GU broke up the shutout in the bottom half of the fourth with two runs.

Junior Kate Lorenzo (Omaha, Neb.) singled home sophomore Emma Giuntoli (Austin, Texas) with a single to center field. The Bison then pulled off a double steal as Nover came home from third base and Lorenzo swiped second. Giuntoli led the Bison at the plate with a 2-for-2 performance and one run scored.

Pothorski (1-7) took the loss in the circle as she pitched 3.1 innings and struck out two. Freshman Kaci Ketchum (Austin, Texas) pitched the final 1.2 innings in relief.

Penn St.-Abington starting pitcher Laura VanHoeven (4-0) took the win with four innings of work as she struck out three. The Nittany Lions clinched a United East playoff berth with their wins today.

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will end their 2022 season next weekend with a trip to New York for two conference doubleheaders. The Bison will get things started at Wells College (0-22, 0-18 United East) on Friday, April 29, at 4 p.m.