APEX, Nc. - The Clarion University softball team split a pair of games at the Shaw Invitational Saturday afternoon, defeating Bluefield State 17-0 in a five-inning game and falling 6-0 to Chowan State. The Golden Eagles record moves to 1-8 on the season. The Blue and Gold return to action Sunday morning when they wrap up their time in North Carolina with a game against Wayne State University.
Rachel Hoffman got the nod in the circle for Clarion in game one, and the junior did not disappoint. Tossing a complete-game two-hitter, Hoffman tore through the Bluefield lineup, striking out 11 en-route to earning the win.
Clarion's bats got in on the fun too. Brigid Stermel and
Taylor Nonnenberg walked and
Cassie Daniels singled to right to drive in the game's first run. A few at-bats later,
Natalie Else blew things wide-open with a bases-clearing double and before long Clarion owned a 10-0 lead.
The bats would stay hot and with Hoffman turning up the gas, Clarion cruised to a 17-0 win.
The second games was a much closer affair, with both teams locked in a pitchers duel as
Paige Baker and Chowan's Kayla Robbins worked the strike zone. Although Baker struck out a pair and allowed just four base runners in the first two innings, it was the Hawks who would draw first blood in the third. A pair of hits and some heads up-base running by Chowan opened up a 3-0 lead in the third inning.
And while Clarion would threaten the rest of the game, Chowan would increase their lead by three and eventually hold on to win 6-0.
