Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion University softball team battled hard in Game Two of a PSAC  Central doubleheader with visiting Mansfield Sunday before dropping the second game 7-4 and being swept by the Mountaineers, who took Game One 10-1 in six innings.
 
In Game Two, Clarion jumped to a 2-0 lead in the second inning before Mansfield tied the contest at two with a pair in the third. The Mountaineers then took the lead for good with four in the fourth before adding a run in the fifth to go up 7-2. The Golden Eagles answered with two in the fifth to get back within four and then had the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth for leading hitter Amanda Gough before Gough was called out looking at strike three on a borderline pitch.
 
In the game, freshman Kayla Henderson was 2-for-4, Nicole Lindner was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Chelsea Zola was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Zola took the loss going 4 2/3 innings and allowing seven runs, six earned, on nine hits and a walk while hitting a batter and striking out one. Jessica Rohaus pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief allowing two hits while striking out one.
 
The first game saw Mansfield jump out to a 2-0 lead in the second innings before scoring eight runs in the final three innings with three-run innings in the fourth and sixth and a two-run fifth.
 
Clarion had two hits in the game including a sol home run leading off the fifth by Kacie Nemeth and an Elizabeth Shiring single.
 
Julie Sokol took the loss allowing 10 runs, six earned, on 12 hits and two walks while striking out eight.
 
Most of Clarion's offense on the day came in Game Two when the Golden Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead with two unearned runs in the second inning.
 
An error allowed Gough to reach first leading off the inning and Lindner and Nemeth followed with singles to load the bases with no outs. Shiring then grounded into a fielder's choice with Gough out at the plate before Taylor Sherry hit into a fielder's choice that erased Shiring at second but scored Lindner from third. Zola then helped her own cause with an RBI single up the middle.
 
After Mansfield scored the next seven runs to take the 7-2 lead, Clarion rallied with a pair of runs in the fifth.
 
Kirsten Wilcox led off the inning with a double to right and Megan Anderson reached on an error by the shortstop putting runners at first and second. Gough then moved Wilcox to third when she hit into a fielder's choice that erased Anderson at second.
 
Clarion then attempted to steal a run when Gough broke from first but stopped to try to get into a rundown to allow Wilcox to score. But Mansfield threw the ball into centerfield allowing Gough to be safe at second and Wilcox to score.
 
Lindner then singled to left putting runners at first and third, and Clarion pulled off the double steal with Lindner breaking for second, hesitating, Gough scoring and Lindner then swiping second.
 
But the Golden Eagles weren't able to get Lindner home, as Nemeth grounded out and Shiring struck out swinging.
 
Clarion, however, looked poised to break through in the sixth when Rohaus, getting her first career plate appearance, singled to left with one out. Henderson followed with an infield single, and after Wilcox popped out, Anderson singled to left to load the bases for Gough.
 
The senior, who is hitting .391, drew the count full before fouling off a couple of pitches. But she took strike three on a pitch on the inside half of the plate that was very close to being ball four.
 
The Golden Eagles then got a one-out walk from Nemeth in the seventh but couldn't move her any farther than first.
 
Mansfield improves to 21-11 overall and 8-4 in the PSAC Central, while Clarion drops to 3-21 (0-12).
 
Clarion returns to action with a non-conference doubleheader at Salem International Monday.