SALEM, VA. – The Chowan Softball team dropped their opening contest of the Salem Virginia Tournament, 7-3, to Gannon on Friday evening.

THE BASICS

FINAL | Chowan 3, Gannon 7

RECORDS | Chowan 7-8, Gannon 7-6

LOCATION | Salem, Va.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

Haley Cooper, Lindsey Stigler and Beth Walker picked up two hits each in the loss.  Cooper and Walker tallied a RBI.

Shannon Buchanan took the loss in the circle tossing 4.0 innings allowing five runs (two earned) off five hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Gannon jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning recording two hits in the inning.  The Knights added to their lead in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly.

Chowan picked up their first base runner in the bottom of the third as Donya Salman drew a one-out walk.  Miranda Glover sacrificed Salman to second on a bunt.  Mackenzie Taggart drew a walk before Haley Cooper hit a single to right field allowing Salman to score to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Two errors by the Hawks in the fourth allowed the Knights to extend their advantage to 5-1.

Lindsey Stigler led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk.  Beth Walker singled through the right side before Brittany Parson moved the runners into scoring position on a ground out.  The Hawks would strand the runners.

The Hawks chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning as Lindsey Stigler singled down the left field line.  Beth Walker wasted no time bringing home Stigler on a double to left center.  Walker would score on an error to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Gannon countered with two runs in the top of the seventh to push their lead back to 7-3.

Haley Cooper and Lindsey Stigler recorded hits in the bottom of the seventh but were unable to scratch across any runs.

UP NEXT

With weather looking to affect the area in the coming days, the tournament schedule has changed.  Chowan will play Bloomsburg, Edinboro, and West Liberty on Saturday, March 10 respectively.  The Hawks will take the field at 12pm.