JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Clarion softball team picked up a split on the road against a PSAC Central opponent, defeating Pitt-Johnstown 6-2 in the early game but falling 12-9 to the Lady Cats in the nightcap.  With the split, the Golden Eagles are now 3-14 overall, 1-3 in divisional play.
 
Sarah Gossard pitched a complete game in Game 1 for the win, tossing 7.0 innings and allowing just two runs, one earned, while striking out four.  Gossard limited the Lady Cats' opportunities with good command as well, walking just one.  Christina Tressler and Audrey Hummell both went deep against the Lady Cats, and the pair also each recorded two hits in the first game.
 
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first game of the day, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Cassidy Runyan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.  Taylor Nonnenberg struck in the top of the second with an RBI triple that brought home Hummell to make it 2-0.
 
The big outburst came in the third, though, when Hummell bashed an 0-1 pitch with two outs over the fence to score Runyan and Rachel Hoffman to make it 5-0.  Gossard did the rest, holding Pitt-Johnstown to two runs the rest of the way, and Tressler added the insurance run in the top of the seventh with a solo home run.
 
The second game of the day was a slugfest between the two teams, with Marissa Peterson going 4-of-5 with two RBIs and four runs scored and Nonnenberg going 3-of-5.  Tressler drove in a team-high three runs while Hoffman was hit for the loss, allowing nine runs in 2.2 innings pitched.
 
Clarion led 3-0 in the top of the first inning after Peterson, Nonnenberg and Casey Wilcox loaded the bases with no outs.  Tressler made no mistake in clearing the bases, hitting a three-run double to the left-center gap to put her team ahead. 
 
The Lady Cats responded with a three-run second inning and a six-run third to go ahead 9-3, but Clarion wouldn't back down.  They trailed 9-6 in the seventh inning but scored three runs to put a scare into Pitt-Johnstown.  Gossard hit a one-out RBI single to score Cassidy Daniels, and Nonnenberg hit a two-out double to score Tierra Shope and make it 12-9.  Wilcox followed that with a walk but Tressler grounded out to end the threat and the game.