LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Sophomore pitcher Madison Waltman (Turbotville, Pa./Warrior Run) was impressive in the circle, tossing a no-hitter and picking up a save as the Lock Haven University (19-18, 6-10 PSAC) softball team picked up a doubleheader sweep over Gannon University (18-16, 10-6 PSAC) on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) softball action.

Lock Haven used a no-hit effort from Waltman in the opener as the Bald Eagles cruised to a 2-0 win. The Bald Eagles got the bats going in the nightcap to pick up a 6-5 triumph over the visiting Golden Knights.

Game 1: W, 2-0

In game one, both teams locked up in a classic pitcher's duel with the Bald Eagles prevailing due to a pair of runs in the third.

After Waltman put the Golden Knights down in order over the opening two innings, Gannon got its first base runner in the third. Waltman proceeded to retire the final batter of the inning before Lock Haven used small ball to take the lead in the home half of the frame.

Riley McClellan (Granville Summit, Pa./Troy) drew a walk to lead off the inning and swiped second base to put a runner in scoring position. Morgan Karasek (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) was hit by pitch in the ensuing at-bat and moved into scoring position on a McClellan steal as the Bald Eagles put runners at second and third with no outs.

Mikayla Ruppert (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) made the most of the situation and belted a single to center field, scoring McClellan and Karasek in the process to put the Bald Eagles ahead by a 2-0 tally.

Gannon went down in order in the fourth and had single base-runners in each of the final three innings of play, but Waltman repeated slammed the door on the Gannon bats as LHU took game one by a 2-0 tally.

Ruppert and Sydney Arrigale (Blackwood, N.J./Highland Regional) recorded a hit each to lead the way for the Lock Haven offense but the story of the game was Waltman's effort in the circle.

The Turbotville, Pa. native tossed a complete-game, no-hit shutout and fanned seven batters to secure her 13th victory of the season. For LHU it was the first no-hitter since 2018 when Bekah Slattery shut down Post in an 8-0 win on March 12.

Game 2: W, 6-5

Gannon wasted little time in getting on the board in the second game as the visiting Golden Knights tallied two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead.

Following a scoreless second inning, the Bald Eagles got the bats going in a big way in the third. Summer Peters (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) drew a lead-off walk to start the inning and moved into scoring position on an Amanda Criss (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) single through the right side.

The Bald Eagles got on the board on an Arrigale bunt single, plating Peters to trim the gap to 2-1. Lock Haven knotted the game up during the ensuing at-bat when a double-steal scored Criss to tie the game up 2-2.

Arrigale scored later in the inning on a single up the middle from the bat of Bella Schmitt (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) to put LHU ahead by a 3-2 tally. Lock Haven's big inning was rounded out when Haley Lestician (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) roped a 1-1 pitch to the right field gap, scoring Schmitt to put the Bald Eagles ahead 4-2.

Gannon added a single run in the fourth, before the Bald Eagles used back-to-back homers to run their lead to 6-3 after four complete. 

Ruppert and Peters opened the fourth with home runs to opposite sides of the ballpark to grow the LHU advantage to three runs.

Waltman entered the circle in the fifth and kept the Gannon bats off balance over the next two innings.

Gannon plated two runs in a late-game comeback effort and had runners at first and second with one away. Waltman drew a fly ball to shallow left field for the second out before Karasek came up with an incredible over-the-shoulder grab on a liner to center field to close out the game and secure a 6-5 victory for the Bald Eagles.

Seven different batters recorded hits for the Bald Eagles in the nightcap.

Kinley Gioglio (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) earned the victory for the Bald Eagles, allowing three runs on seven hits over four innings of action. Waltman secured the three-inning save, while both LHU hurlers fanned four in the win.