CLERMONT, Fla. – The Clarion softball team dropped a pair of decisions on the opening day of the PFX Games, falling by a 5-0 score to Bridgeport and a 6-0 score to St. Thomas Aquinas in Clermont on Monday.  The Golden Eagles will be back in action with another doubleheader tomorrow.
 
Kimberly Burdett, Taylor Nonnenberg, Haley Pszyk and Cassie Daniels all recorded hits on the day, and although the Golden Eagles also drew four walks over the course of two games, they were unable to plate a run in the two contests.  Kira Smith was effective in the circle, allowing just three earned runs in 6.0 innings pitched in the nightcap.  Sarah Gossard allowed five runs – four earned – in the first game.
 
Gossard shut down Bridgeport for the better part of the game, however a big fifth inning gave the Purple Knights all the runs they needed.  A two-run double and a two-run home run gave Bridgeport a 4-0 lead, and a number of errors allowed the Purple Knights to score their fifth run in the top of the sixth inning. 
 
The best chance for a Clarion comeback came in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Brigid Stermel led off with a walk and Burdett advanced her to second with a single.  Stermel was caught at third base on a delayed double steal to take her out of scoring position, and Pszyk's liner to the third basemen ended the threat and the game for the Golden Eagles.
 
In the nightcap against St. Thomas Aquinas, Clarion trailed 4-0 in the top of the fourth inning but saw their best scoring chance of the day countered. Daniels and Pszyk hit back-to-back one-out singles to put runners on first and second, and Casey Wilcox sacrificed the pair over with a bunt.  Smith tried to help her own cause but was unable to rap the ball through the infield, grounding out to end the inning.