CLARION, Pa. – The Golden Eagle softball team ran into a pair of hot pitchers on Saturday afternoon, dropping decisions of 7-0 and 10-2 to Lock Haven at Memorial Field.  Clarion (0-29, 0-6 PSAC Central) will host another divisional doubleheader tomorrow afternoon when they welcome Mansfield to town.
 
In the opening game against the Bald Eagles, Clarion put together six hits and eight total baserunners, and at a couple occasions were able to put runners in scoring position against Lock Haven's Bekah Slattery.  Slattery escaped trouble each time, fanning 12 batters and keeping the Golden Eagles off the scoreboard. 
 
Maybe the best opportunity for the Golden Eagles in the first game came in the bottom of the second inning when Jessica Cartia lined a leadoff single to centerfield.  Nicole Collins followed with a one-out double that put runners on second and third, but neither Aryn Boyer nor Molly Cowden could drive the runners home.  A similar scenario played out in the third inning when Makenzie Wolfe and Moriah Lynn hit back-to-back one-out singles, and Taylor Nonnenberg pushed the runners ahead with a sacrifice bunt.  Cartia hit a hard grounder back through the middle of the infield, but Slattery stabbed the grounder and flipped the ball to first for the final out.
 
Macy Rubin (0-12) pitched the complete game, allowing seven runs – six earned – and striking out three.
 
The late game started off with some fireworks from the Golden Eagle offense, including an unlikely opening score to tie the game in the first inning.  With Lock Haven ahead 1-0 after the top of the first, Lynn crushed a ball down the right field line for what appeared to be a standup triple.  The throw from right field was off the mark, allowing Lynn to try for home.  The toss from third base was mishandled at the plate, with Lynn coming across to score and make it a 1-1 game. 
 
The Golden Eagles added another run in the bottom of the second inning, this time in a more conventional manner.  Makenzie Wolfe launched a two-out solo home run over the left field fence for her fourth big fly of the season, tying the score at 2-2.  The Bald Eagles kept Clarion off the scoreboard for the rest of the game, though, and tacked on five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 10-2 advantage.  Kira Smith (0-6) suffered the loss after allowing five runs through four innings.