CLARION, Pa. --- The Golden Eagle softball team came up just short in a pair of close conference games on Tuesday afternoon, falling by 2-1 and 3-2 scores to Gannon at Memorial Stadium. The Golden Knights overcame late one-run deficits in each to earn the sweep.
 
Game 1: Gannon 2, Clarion 1
Recap: It was a pitchers' duel between Clarion's Emma Hipps and Gannon's Gabi Vasi, with the Golden Knights the beneficiaries of three inning-ending double plays to help their cause. The Golden Eagles were able to put runners on base for the most part but could not overcome those turning points.
 
Clarion did strike first in the game, breaking through with a run in the bottom of the third inning. Kathryn O'Horo reached on a fielder's choice with two outs and proceeded to steal second base. Carissa Giordano brought her home with a hard liner over shortstop, with O'Horo hustling all the way around from second to score. Alyssa Stitt followed up with a single to the outfield, but Emily Buchleitner's sharp grounder to the middle of the infield was gloved by Alyssa Fox for the third out.
 
Hipps avoided any damage until the top of the fifth inning, when the Golden Knights finally broke through to take the lead. Andrea Watson scored two runs with a double to deep center field, giving Gannon a 2-1 advantage. The Golden Eagles got the final two outs of the inning without allowing any further damage, but they would only put two runners on base the rest of the way as their comeback attempt stalled. Stitt led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single and stole second base but got no closer, and Vasi retired the Golden Eagles 1-2-3 in the seventh for the win.
 
Game 2: Gannon 3, Clarion 2
Recap: The Golden Eagles' offense looked like it perked up early in the second game as they quickly tagged Gannon starter Maggie Lenda for two runs in the bottom of the first inning. The first two batters of the game reached base and then came around to score, starting with Desi Allen's sacrifice fly to bring Giordano home. Tori Martrano then shot a single through the middle of the infield to plate Stitt, giving Clarion a 2-0 lead.
 
Surprisingly, though, those would be the only runs of the game for the Golden Eagles. Clarion was held to just three hits for the game, though they did draw six walks that helped them keep the pressure on the Golden Knights. Starting pitcher Megan Anderson sprinkled 10 hits over 4.1 innings but generally managed to stem the damage, allowing just two runs while striking out six. She was lifted in the fifth inning for Ashley DeWeese, who allowed one inherited runner to score but otherwise got Clarion out of a jam.
 
Gannon scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning, with Lauryn Rougeux hitting a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Natalia Mallozzi from third base. Clarion's comeback attempt was again stymied in the seventh inning, after Stitt led off the frame with a walk but was caught attempting to steal second. Lenda induced pop-ups from Emily Buchleitner and Rachel Helsley to end the game. Read Full Article