Danielle Amato’s grand slam keyed a seven-run sixth-inning rally that led Kutztown University to a 10-5 comeback win over Gannon Friday in a PSAC Tournament elimination game.
The loss, which came during the completion of a game that was suspended due to rain Thursday, ended the Knights’ season.
Gannon, which won its opening game Wednesday over highly touted West Chester, 3-1, fell to Bloomsburg, 3-0, earlier Thursday.
That put the Knights into an elimination matchup with Kutztown, a game that was suspended in the fourth inning with Gannon holding a 4-0 lead.
Nathaly Pacheco’s RBI double and Alexa Archambeault’s three-run double provided the key hits in a four-run third inning, and Allie Salerno singled in a run in the fourth to make it 5-0.
But Kutztown roared back in the bottom of the sixth to score seven times and knock Gannon starter Olivia Gumbita from the game.
Salerno and Archambeault each finished with two hits for the Knights, who ended their season 20-21.
In the tournament opener against West Chester, Archambeault kicked off the scoring in the fifth inning with a home run to left field, giving the Knights a 1-0 lead.
Shortly after, Salerno hit a two-run home run after freshman Kellyn Perich reached on a dropped fly ball in left field.
West Chester got on the board in their half of the inning with a solo homerun by second baseman Sara Ercolani.
In the second game of the tournament, Bloomsburg grabbed two runs in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead over. Gannon came close to scoring in the fifth with a single by Rachel deGuia, a double by freshman Kherrin Morgan and Pacheco drew a walk to load the bases with two outs.
However, Bloomsburg starting pitcher Mallory Tomaschik worked out of it by striking out the last batter.
The Huskies added some insurance with their final run in the seventh to seal their 3-0 shutout of the Knights.
BRANDON JACES
