CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion softball team opened the home portion of their schedule against a PSAC Central opponent on Friday, but the Golden Eagles were swept by IUP in a doubleheader by scores of 17-2 and 9-0.  Both games were concluded in five innings.  With the losses, Clarion falls to 3-16 overall, 1-5 in PSAC Central play.
 
Christina Tressler was the leader at the dish for the Golden Eagles, going 3-for-4 with a run scored over the course of two games.  Paige Baker had the lone RBI of the day for Clarion, driving in a run in the first game against the Crimson Hawks, while Casey Wilcox and Sarah Gossard also added base knocks against IUP in the early game.  Cassie Daniels went 1-for-2 in the second game while Taylor Nonnenberg went 1- for-3 with a stolen base; Nonnenberg also swiped a bag in the first game.
 
Sarah Gossard was tagged for the loss in the first game, giving up nine runs – six earned – in 4.0 innings of pitching.  Rachel Hoffman suffered the loss in Game 2 with nine runs allowed, though just three of those tallies were earned.
 
IUP opened up a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the first game, but the Golden Eagles rallied back to tie it in the bottom of the first with some timely hitting of their own.  Nonnenberg reached base after being grazed by a pitch with one out and promptly advanced into scoring position with a steal.  Tressler singled to right field to put Nonnenberg on third and Baker did the damage from there, slicing a line drive into right-center to make it 2-1. 
 
The Golden Eagles' next run came as a result of Baker's disruption on the basepaths.  With just one out in the bottom of the first, Baker took off for second base on a steal attempt.  The throw from the catcher bounced into the outfield allowing Tressler to come around from third, tying the game at 2-2.
 
The Crimson Hawks got out of the inning, though, and proceeded to excel on offense the rest of the way.  IUP scored a combined 15 runs over the final three innings to build a 17-2 lead and held on for the victory after five innings.
 
The second game was close through the first two innings, but the Crimson Hawks jumped out to an 8-0 lead with a six-run third.  The best chance for the Golden Eagles to cut into the deficit came in the bottom of the fifth inning when Daniels singled past the outstretched glove of the shortstop to lead off the inning.  Kira Smith moved her to second with a groundout and Autumn Babcock hit a pinch-hit single to put runners on the corners with one out.  It seemed as if Marissa Peterson would plate Daniels with a hot shot back to the pitcher, but Megan Risinger fielded the ball and fired it home to get Daniels at the plate.  Nonnenberg struck out to end the threat and the game.