WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Golden Eagle softball team kicked off action at The Spring Games on Saturday, falling in a pair of games to West Virginia Wesleyan and Millersville, respectively. Clarion dropped an 11-0 decision to the Bobcats in the early game and a 10-1 loss to the Marauders in the late game.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan 11, Clarion 0 (5 inn.)
Recap: The game was tight through the first three innings as starting pitcher Ashley DeWeese worked her way out of several jams, including a scoreless third inning where the Bobcats had runners on second and third with two outs. The only run to that point came in the top of the second inning, on a sacrifice fly that scored Kaitlyn Rizor.
 
However, the Bobcats broke out in a big way in the bottom of the fourth inning, exploding for eight runs. Alyssa Stitt reached in the home half of the fourth with a one-out single to center field, but Hannah Norton's line shot to left field was caught to end the threat. West Virginia Wesleyan tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning and then set the Golden Eagles down in order to end the contest.
 
Millersville 10, Clarion 1 (5 inn.)
Recap: In something of a reverse from the previous game, Millersville got the jump on Clarion early in this one, scoring four runs in the first inning to take the lead. The Golden Eagles responded with their first run of the game in the top of the third, opening the frame with back-to-back singles from Chelsea Liroff and Rachel Helsley. Makenzie Wolfe drove Liroff home with a long double to left center field, just missing out on a home run. Helsley was forced to hold up at third when it seemed the outfielder might make the grab, though, and the Golden Eagles had to settle for just the one run.
 
The Marauders tacked on three runs in the third inning, taking an 8-1 lead that held until the bottom of the fifth inning. There, Alyssa Stover hit a two-run home run off Kendyl Switzer, walking off the game as Millersville compiled a lead sufficient for the run rule.
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