WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Golden Eagle softball team fell in a pair of close contests on Thursday, dropping an 8-6 extra-innings decision to the College of Saint Rose in the early game before falling 3-0 to Saginaw Valley State in the late game.

College of Saint Rose 8, Clarion 6 (8 inn.)
Recap: The Golden Eagles opened the game with a huge first inning, hanging five runs on the Golden Knights in the opening frame to build a decent lead. After loading the bases thanks to a pair of walks and a bunt single by Brooke Cline, a wild pitch allowed Rachel Helsley to score and make it 1-0. Hannah Norton stroked an RBI single up the middle to score Cline, and Makenzie Wolfe crossed the plate on a wild pitch to make it a 3-0 game.
 
Megan Anderson and Lauren Hartman added RBI singles close out the scoring in the first inning, making it a 5-0 advantage for Clarion.
 
The Golden Knights scored in dribs and drabs over the next three innings, adding one run apiece in the second and third innings and two in the fourth. That cut Clarion's lead to 5-4, but the Golden Eagles got one of those runs back in the home half of the inning. Helsley led off the inning by being hit by a pitch from Hannah Breen, and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Cline. Wolfe scored her with her second double of the game, driving one down the left field line to make it 6-4.
 
Saint Rose would rally once again, though, scoring two runs off relief pitcher Amber Gilliam in the top of the sixth to tie the score. The Golden Eagles put runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the inning, with Wolfe advancing from first to third on Norton's two-out single to center. Breen worked her way out of the inning by inducing a pop-up, and neither team scored in the seventh inning as the game went to extras.
 
The Golden Knights struck twice in the top of the eighth, giving them an 8-6 lead. Allison Gilliam led off the inning with a pinch-hit single to put runners on the corners with no outs, but Breen again worked out of the jam, with Amber Gilliam thrown out at home for the final out of the game.
 
Wolfe went 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks drawn and an RBI, making her one of four Golden Eagles to record multiple hits in the game.
 
Saginaw Valley 3, Clarion 0
Recap: The Cardinals took advantage of a pair of errors in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead, with Jackie Popko and Julia Salisbury crossing the plate. The Golden Eagles had their chances, scattering hits and walks in the early innings, but could not push anyone across the plate. One such opportunity came in the top of the third inning, with Kendyl Switzer drawing a lead off walk and Cline reaching on a single to center field. Wolfe advanced the runners into scoring position with a grounder to the right side, but Norton's sharply-hit liner was gloved in right field for the final out.
 
Switzer, for her part, did a good job keeping the Cardinals off the scoreboard after the first inning. She stranded a baserunner apiece in the second and third innings, and then set the Cardinals down in order in the fourth. Switzer had allowed just two hits it total heading into the fifth inning.
 
Saginaw Valley State got a run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by Sara Moos, after Jessica Kreu had advanced to third on an error. That made it 3-0, but the Golden Eagle defense helped Switzer out of the jam. Billie Aguglia caught Salibury leaning on a double steal attempt, throwing down to Martrano at third base to nab her for the second out. Norton then made a smooth defensive play for the final out, pulling in a hard grounder from Popko and touching first to end the frame.
 
The Golden Eagles, though, were unable to complete the comeback against the Cardinals. Alyssa Stitt led off the seventh inning with a single to left field, but pitcher Julia Mundy induced her third ground ball double-play of the game to end the threat.
 
Cline and Wolfe both went 2-for-3 at the dish. Switzer pitched a solid game in the hard-luck loss, allowing three runs – all unearned – in six innings. She allowed just four hits and walked none.
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