Sports
C L A R I O N U N I V E R S I T Y ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 3
www.clarioncallnews.com/sports
April 22, 2010
page 13
Eagles shock defending champs Dustin Sams Sports Staff
“This is a new era in the team’s softball program. They will demand respect, expect to win, and win with class.” - Coach Nicole Banner
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ast Friday the Clarion Golden Eagle’s softball team took on the defending national champions, Mansfield University. In the first game, Clarion erupted for four runs in the third inning to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Rebecca Lynch, Kacie Nemeth, Nicole Lollo, and Carlie Cook put Clarion up by four going into the fourth inning. Clarion added two more runs in the fourth inning to increase their lead to 6-0. Mansfield finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning with a score from Megan Trutt. The final score was Clarion 6, Mansfield 1. In the second game, Mansfield had a strong third inning as they ran in five runs. In a strong surge to come back, Clarion was able to run in two runs in the fifth inning and two more in the bottom of the seventh, but this would prove to be too little too late as the Lady Eagles would fall to Mansfield 5-4. The very next day, Clarion took on Lock Haven University in a double header. In the first game, Lock Haven jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning. In the bottom of the second, Clarion answered back with a run to tie it up 1-1 off a Lollo score. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Lady Eagles would come alive as they ran in four runs off scores from Baun, Lollo, Lynch, and Lindner. Another big inning for the Lady Eagles found
Caitlin McGill / The Clarion Call
Above: Clarion infielders meets at the pitcher’s mound before the inning in the cold weather. Right: Junior second basemen Katie Baun gets ready for the pitch from second base. Clarion scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth, three in the fifth, and four in the sixth to propel Clarion to a dominating 12-3 victory. In game two against Lock Haven, Clarion trampled Lock Haven 9-7. Clarion scored first in the first inning with Rebecca Lynch and jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Lock Haven had a strong second inning scoring six runs. Clarion answered back in the bottom of the second inning with six runs. In the fourth inning Clarion picked up another run by Cook. In the top of the fifth
Lock Haven brought in one run and Clarion answered with a run of their own making the score 9-7. This would be the end of scoring for both teams. “The team’s last four games foreshadow where the Clarion Softball Program is moving,” said head Coach Nicole Banner in an interview. “It is a new era here and big changes will be occurring,” Banner said. She stated her seniors could not have asked for a better send off. The team finally came together as a team and she said she was very proud of them as a whole. The weather was miser-
able, in cold, snowing conditions, but the team came out with the attitude that they were going to win, no matter what. As for next year, she said she is very excited for the team’s incoming freshmen. “They will challenge and push the team’s upper classmen to improve every day. “As a unit, the team will continue to improve and work in the off season.” Banner said. “This is a new era in the team’s softball program.” “They will demand respect, expect to win, and win with class,” Banner said.