Sports

Lynch can’t help Clarion softball get past Mansfield

The Clarion softball team had chances to grab a win this past Thursday, April 21, against Mansfield University, but fell short once again.

The Golden Eagles fell 3-2 in game one, and 4-1 in game two.

Clarion took an early 2-0 lead in game one.

In the top of the second inning, senior Carlie Cook lead off with a single, and sophomore Nicole Lidner walked, advancing Cook over to second.

Sophomore Kacie Nemeth hit into a fielders choice, putting runners at the corners with junior Rebecca Lynch up next.

Lynch drilled a double to left scoring Cook and Nemeth, putting Clarion up early.

The score would stay at 2-0 until the bottom half of the seventh.

Clarion was in position to get the win but collapsed in the final inning blowing their 2-0 lead.

A couple of errors put runners on, and a single by Stephanie Simmeth tied the game.

With two outs and runners on Kate Pratt hit a walk off double, winning it for Mansfield 3-2.

Sophomore Erica Burkey was given the loss, going six and two thirds innings, giving up only three hits, and three unearned runs.

Game two started out great for the Golden Eagles.

In the top of the first, Lynch crushed a homer to right center giving Clarion an early 1-0 lead.

“I’ve never been a power hitter until this season. I’ve had more doubles and triples than ever before,” Lynch said.

“Now hitting my homerun is just the icing on the cake. It went out over right field, so I was able to watch it go out and I honestly couldn’t believe it. Now I know I have the power
to hit homeruns, so I will just continue to work toward the goal of becoming a more consistent, stronger hitter.”

Mansfield immediately answered in the bottom half of the inning, putting up three runs on three hits.

Mansfield added one more run in the fifth, and Clarion was unable to put any more runs up.

“We needed to come up with more hits when we had people in scoring positions,” freshman Elizabeth Shiring said.

“It would have been nice to end the season with a pair of wins, especially since it was the seniors’ last set of games.”

Clarion dropped the doubleheader, finishing the season with a 6-19 overall record, and was 1-14 in the PSAC Central.

Despite the rough season, no one can ignore the terrific offensive season’s put up by Cook, and senior Nicole Lollo.

Cook finished the year with a .371 batting average, with four doubles, five home runs, 16 RBIs and a .643 slugging percentage.

Lollo batted .338, with 10 doubles, six RBIs and a .411 on base percentage.