Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion University softball team was swept in its home opening doubleheader by Mercyhurst, 10-3, 5-3, Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Field.
 
In the opener, Clarion clung to a 3-2 lead going to the sixth only to watch Mercyhurst (9-13 overall, 3-3 PSAC West) score five unearned runs aided by four Golden Eagle errors in the inning to take a 7-3 lead. The Lakers then added three insurance runs in the seventh.
 
It was Clarion (1-9, 0-4) that tried to rally in the second game.
 
Trailing 5-0 going to the bottom of the seventh, the Golden Eagles scored three times before watching the comeback fall short with the tying run at the plate.
 
Taylor Powell had a nice afternoon for Clarion going a combined 3-for-6 in the two games with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Kirsten Wilcox was also 2-for-5 on the afternoon with a double, three runs scored and an RBI with Megan Anderson going 2-for-6 with a double and two RBIs. Also with multiple hits Wednesday were Christina Tressler (2-for-7, 1 run scored) and Ashley Barenchik (2-for-7, 1 run scored).
 
In Game One, Clarion struck first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first thanks to back-to-back leadoff singles by Barenchik and Kirsten Wilcox. Paige Baker drove home Barenchik with an RBI groundout, and Powell brought home Wilcox with a two-out, RBI double.
 
Mercyhurst tied the game with a pair of runs in the third, but Clarion retook the lead with an unearned run in the fifth when Kirsten Wilcox reached on a leadoff error and scored on a two-out double by Powell, who was 3-for-3 in the game with the two doubles and two RBIs.
 
But the Golden Eagle defense let the team down in the sixth with the four errors leading to five unearned runs against reliever and loser Shawnna Crago, who pitched four innings allowing eight runs, three earned, on six hits and two walks while striking out four.
 
Chelsea Zola started going three innings allowing two earned runs on seven hits.
 
On offense, Barenchik was 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Kirsten Wilcox scored twice.
 
In the second game, Mercyhurst picked up two in the first, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh to take the 5-0 lead.
 
But Clarion didn't go down without a fight.
 
Tressler led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, and then, with two outs, Emily Leininger singled, and Wilcox, pinch hitting, singled home Tressler. Megan Anderson then brought home two more runs with a double to deep left before Barenchik flyed out to shallow left to end the game.
 
Paige Baker took the loss going 5 1/3 innings allowing three runs, one earned, on six hits and a walk while striking out two. Lyndsey Jones tossed 1 2/3 innings allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one.
 
Tressler was 2-for-3 with a run scored in the game to lead the Clarion offense.
 
Clarion returns to action at 1 p.m. Friday with a PSAC West doubleheader at Seton Hill.