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QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University softball team fell in their opening game of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament to West division top seed Gannon 4-3 on Wednesday (May 2).

Gannon began the scoring in the bottom of the first when Kaity Stocker doubled home Jackie Martinez, before the Huskies would tie the game at one-all in the top of the third. Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) led off the inning with a single to left field, before Emily Mayhew (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) advanced her 60 feet with a one-out single to center field. Kalynn Wheeland (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) would lift a fly ball down the right field line that would be caught by Rachel Tanili, and Winkelman tagged up and headed for third. The throw in from Tanili sailed and the error allowed Winkelman to score unearned, while Mayhew advanced all the way to third in the frenzy. Gannon would get back in the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, which began with a leadoff single to left by Lisa Szajn. Taylor Wilp would single to the pitcher and advance Szajn all the way to third with no one out, before Martinez brought home pinch runner Nicole Bush with a sacrifice fly to put the Lady Knights ahead 2-1. Sarah Ingerick then singled to left field to move pinch runner Autumn Smith to third with just one out, before starter Alyssa Davies (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) was relieved by Tara Baney (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte). Stocker would single to right field to score Smith and push Gannon's lead to 3-1, before Rachel Talini would reach on a fielder's choice. The ball was thrown away on the play allowing Ingerick to score unearned and Stocker to advance to third. The Huskies were able to get two runs back in the top of the seventh, but left two runners on in the inning and thus the rally came up short. Emily Getz (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) led off the inning with a single to right field, before pinch hitter Alexa Erney (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) reached on an error which moved Getz to second. That turned the lineup over for Winkelman, who reached on a fielder's choice that advanced Getz to third and retired Erney at second. Maggie Hall (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown) would bring home Getz with a RBI single to center field, before Mayhew singled to load the bases for Wheeland. Wheeland brought home Winkelman with a sacrifice fly, with both Hall and Mayhew moving up one base each on the throw in. That is the closest the Huskies would get as Gannon was able to strand two runners in scoring position to get their first tournament win.

Bloomsburg scored three runs on eight hits while committing one error, while also being aided by three Gannon errors. Mayhew and Getz each had two hits in the game, while four other Huskies each tallied one hit. Hall and Wheeland each drove in one run, while Winkelman crossed the plate twice and Getz also scored once. Davies (8-8) took the loss in the circle allowing four runs, three earned in 4.1 innings. The redshirt junior allowed seven hits, struck out one and did not walk a batter. Baney allowed just one hit over 1.2 innings of relief.

The Huskies are now 19-21 on the season, while Gannon is 26-12.

The Huskies face elimination tomorrow (Thursday, May 3) when they face California (Pa.) at noon.