INDIANA, Pa. – The Clarion softball team made up their previously scheduled games on the road at IUP on Wednesday, falling by scores of 8-1 and 5-0 to the Crimson Hawks in PSAC Central play.  The Golden Eagles (3-5, 0-4 PSAC Central) will play their home opener on Friday when they host Pitt-Johnstown at Memorial Stadium.
 
Kimberly Burdett went a combined 4-of-6 at the dish, including a solo home run crushed over the center field fence in the early game against the Crimson Hawks.  Burdett's blast tied the game at 1-1 and gave Clarion new life, but IUP broke the deadlock in the fourth inning with five runs to seal the deal.  In the late game, pitcher Rachel Hoffman held IUP in check for much of the early going, holding the Crimson Hawks to two runs in the first five innings before a three-run sixth scuttled the comeback.
 
The best chance for the Golden Eagles to make up ground in the first game came in the top of the sixth inning, when some two-out lightning put them in position to score multiple runs.  Haley Pszyk roped a double to deep left center with two outs, and Burdett pushed her to third with a single, advancing to second herself on an errant throw.  Brigid Stermel tried to push one to the opposite field to score the pair, but the ball was scooped up at second base and thrown to first for the out.
 
Clarion again had a chance to make up ground in the top of the seventh, with Hoffman leading off with a single and Natalie Else reaching base on a bunt that was mishandled at second.  Aryn Boyer bunted the pair over with one out, but Taylor Nonnenberg fouled out to shortstop to end the inning and the game. 
 
The second game was lower scoring, and again the Golden Eagles had a chance to get back into it late.  Cassidy Runyan hit a one-out single in the top of the sixth inning with Clarion trailing 2-0, and Nonnenberg followed that up with a single of her own.  However, Burdett grounded out and Laura Sadowski flew out to right field to end the threat.  The Crimson Hawks followed with three runs in the home half of the inning to take the win.