NORTH EAST, Pa. – The Clarion softball team kicked off their 2021 season on the road on Monday, dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Mercyhurst to open PSAC West competition. The Lakers defeated Clarion (0-2, 0-2 PSAC West) 8-0 in a five-inning game to start the day, followed by an 8-3 decision in the late game.
 
Jessica Cartia added to her team record career home run total with a two-run shot against the Lakers in late game, driving a one-out pitch from Cheyenne Hindman over the left-center field wall to score Brooke Cline in the top of the fourth inning. That cut Mercyhurst's lead to 6-2 in that contest. Carissa Giordano added an RBI single in the sixth inning, again scoring Cline.
 
The Lakers were otherwise in control for the duration of the afternoon, shutting out the Golden Eagles in the first game behind a strong start from Mikaela Schramski. Megan Anderson (0-1) went toe-to-toe with her for most of the game, though, with both pitchers putting up zeroes through the first three innings. Anderson allowed just one run through the first four innings, in fact, but the Lakers broke things open in the fifth on a three-run home run from Allison Dejidas that made it 4-0. Kaci Alderson hit a two-run homer later in the inning to chase Anderson and make it 6-1, with Kendyl Switzer finishing off the inning and the game. The Golden Eagle offense struggled to get much going against Schramski, with only Nicole Collins and Alexandra Brentzel managing hits.
 
Clarion was able to generate some more offense against Hindman in the nightcap, notching six hits but stranding five runners over the course of the game. Chelsea Liroff (0-1) took the loss with six runs allowed in 2.2 innings pitched. Rebecca Kelley pitched well in relief, allowing just one earned run over the last 3.1 innings of action.
 
The Lakers took a 2-0 lead after a two-run single from Dejidas in the bottom of the first inning, and added another pair on back-to-back singles in the second. The Golden Eagles had runners in scoring position in the second and third innings before Cartia brought the thunder in the fourth. Mercyhurst stretched the lead to 8-2 in the bottom of the inning, though Giordano hit an RBI single in the sixth to slice into the deficit.