Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ERIE, PA - Megan McCormick (Evans City/Seneca Valley) had a pair of RBI singles and Kelly King (Nazareth/Bethlehem Catholic) tossed her fourth shutout of the year as IUP rebounded from a game one 4-3 loss to defeat Gannon 4-0 in game two to earn a split with the Golden Knights on Monday in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover softball matchup in Erie.

It was a scoreless game two until McCormick singled up the middle with one out in the third, bringing Marissa Leslie (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel) around from second to make it 1-0. The Crimson Hawks wouldn't wait too long to add more runs as a pair of singles by Stefanie McCoy (New Paris/Chestnut Ridge) and Ashley Strack (Johnstown/Westmont Hilltop) in the fourth put runners on the corners for Kaylee Prendergast (West Chester/Villa Maria Academy), who flied out to left, scoring McCoy to make it 2-0 IUP.

An infield bunt by Leslie followed by a Mary Ward (Hatfield/North Penn) walk loaded the bases with two down for McCormick, who stepped up and again knocked a single to center, bringing home Strack and Leslie to give the Crimson Hawks a comfortable 4-0 lead.

King would shut down Gannon the rest of the way, allowing just two hits and three total baserunners over the final four innings to close out the Golden Knights for the win. King would get the complete game win to move to 6-3 on the year on the same afternoon that she earned PSAC Central Pitcher of the Week. She allowed four hits and walked just one, striking out two.

Strack went a perfect 3-for-3, scoring once, while McCormick and Jasa Mitchell (Snow Shoe/Bald Eagle Area) each had two hits for the Crimson Hawks.

Gannon (15-8) got on top early in game one with an RBI single up the middle to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. IUP would collect a hit in each of the first two innings and put two runners on in the third but failed to make a serious threat.

Meanwhile, IUP starter Alexa Campbell (Manheim/Manheim Central ) steadied, allowing just one until the sixth inning.

The Crimson Hawks finally got on the board in the sixth, as Mitchell reached first on an error before Tara Waldo (Pittsburgh/Baldwin) homered for the second time of the year, giving IUP the 2-1 lead.

After a scoreless sixth inning for Gannon, the Crimson Hawks added another run when Strack hit a solo shot, her first of the year, to give IUP a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.

With two down and a runner on first, the Golden Knights singled to left to put two on before an error by IUP loaded the bases. Still down 3-1, Gannon forced a walk to bring one run home before another IUP error allowed two Golden Knights to score to end the game 4-3.

Strack went 2-for-3 in game one, including that solo homer, as three more Crimson Hawks helped them to five hits on the day. Campbell moved to 5-5 after the loss, allowing six hits and just one earned with three strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work.

The Crimson Hawks (12-8-1) return home for a pair of doubleheaders at Podbeiski Field this weekend, hosting Mansfield on Friday and West Chester on Saturday.