CLERMONT, Fla. --- The Golden Eagle softball team concluded their week in Florida with a third straight doubleheader sweep, building their win streak to six games after a 7-0 victory over College of Saint Rose and a 8-4 win over Felician.
Game 1: Clarion 7, College of Saint Rose 0
Recap: Behind a sterling pitching performance from starter Emma Hipps and a couple of standout defensive plays, the Golden Eagles methodically took down the Golden Knights for a shutout victory to start the day.
Hipps tossed a complete game shutout over Saint Rose, allowing only three baserunners – two on hits and one on an error – while striking out a dozen Golden Knights. The freshman faced just three batters over the minimum and retired the first 11 of the game, followed by 10 straight to finish things off. She was aided by a number of superlative defensive plays, most notably two catches by right fielder Annika Smith. Smith helped Hipps out in the first inning with a diving grab for the third out, extending fully for a short fly ball to end the inning. She ended the third inning with a huge grab at the fence, ranging to her left to snag a fly ball veering toward the foul pole.
The offense did their part, putting up all the runs they would need in the first inning. Carissa Giordano drew a leadoff walk and stole second for the 26th stolen base of her career, tying the program's career record. She eventually came around to score on Emily Buchleitner's RBI double to the left-center gap, and then Desi Allen brought her home with a hard single to center field. Giordano scored another run in the top of the third inning, scoring from first on Alyssa Stitt's double to make it 3-0.
Allen provided another big hit in the fourth inning, leading off the frame with a solo home run over the center field fence. She took a hanging breaking ball over the fence for her second home run of the season, making it 4-0. Tori Martrano tacked on a a two-run double in the fifth inning to make it 6-0, and Allen drove in yet another run with an RBI single to center in the seventh inning.
Hipps improved to 5-0 on the season, having allowed just two hits and striking out 12. Buchleitner finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Allen was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Stitt went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Game 2: Clarion 8, Felician 4
Recap: The Golden Eagle offense took flight early in the win over the Golden Falcons, putting up a three-spot on starter Alexis De La Cruz in the bottom of the first inning. Giordano scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Rachel Helsley, busting down the line on a ball hit barely beyond the infield for a run. Annika Smith followed with a two-run single to center field with the bases loaded, bringing Buchleitner and Stitt home to make it 3-0.
Helsley did more damage in the second inning, smacking an RBI single to score Stitt, and Smith scored in the third inning on an error by the shortstop to make it 5-0. The Golden Falcons responded with a big inning in the fourth, scoring three runs off starter Megan Anderson to pull within two.
Clarion needed a boost in the fifth, and that boost came with one out and the bases loaded. Stitt roped a double to left center to clear the bases, scoring three runs to make it an 8-3 advantage and buy her team some breathing room. Anderson allowed one run in the seventh but shut the door from there, helping her team to their sixth straight win.
Anderson threw a complete game, allowing four runs to improve to 3-2 on the season. Giordano and Stitt both went 3-for-4 at the dish with two runs scored, while Stitt also posted three RBIs. Helsley and Smith each contributed two RBIs.
