QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – Mansfield led early, but defending PSAC Champion Gannon stormed its ways to an 11-1 victory in the opening game of the PSAC Softball Championship Tournament on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Alli McGovern opened the top of the first against with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Lacey O'Donnell followed with a bunt single to put runners on the corners. PSAC Central Athlete of the Week Joelle Snyder struck a long fly ball to right field that was caught at the fence by the Golden Knight outfielder, but allowed McGovern to race home for a run.
 
Gannon got a runner aboard with a lead-off hit before a groundout to third base put the runner in scoring position. Third baseman Alex Hein recorded all three outs of the inning to keep the Knights scoreless.
 
Gannon threatened again in the bottom of the second with a single and a double to put a pair in scoring position. The next batter placed a ball just out of the reach of shortstop Deshae Jones, but Jones made a heads up play to catch the runner streaking towards home and preserve the Mansfield lead.
 
The Knights equalized with a run in the third inning before hanging six runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth. Lisa Szajn and Maria Taliani each had grand slams for Gannon.
 
Madi Beining earned the win in the circle, going 5.0 innings with three hits and no walks allowed with four strikeouts.
 
The loss places Mansfield in the loser's bracket where the Mounties face an elimination game against Edinboro Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. Edinboro fell to Kutztown 10-0 earlier today.
 
Bob Michaels of RLM Sports will have the play-by-play call of all the action on RLM Sports.com. A live streaming video broadcast will also be available through Mountie All-Access presented by Visit Potter-Tioga at GoMounties.com/Watch. Live stats will be available for all games.