INDIANA, Pa. – The Clarion softball team returned to the road for a PSAC Central rematch with IUP, but fell in both ends of a doubleheader to the Crimson Hawks on Wednesday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles (4-25, 1-11 PSAC Central) fell by a 6-4 score in the first game and an 8-2 mark in the second. They head back on the road for a two-game set at Pitt-Johnstown on Friday.

Game 1
The Golden Eagles and Crimson Hawks engaged in a back-and-forth duel in the early game, with Clarion holding a 4-3 lead until the bottom of the fifth inning. Jessica Cartia launched her team-leading sixth home run of the year in the top of the second inning, followed by an RBI double from Rebecca Kelley that scored Natalie Else. Haley Pszyk closed the scoring with an RBI single through the left side, driving the ball to left to bring Kelley home and make it a 3-2 lead.

Cassidy Runyan scored on a wild pitch in the third inning to put her team ahead 4-2, but IUP rebounded with runs in the third and fifth innings to tie the score. Neither team tallied a run in the sixth inning, but the Crimson Hawks finished the early game with a walk-off two-run homer by Olivia Gregorich.

Kelley got the start, throwing two innings and allowing two runs before being lifted for Macy Rubin (1-6). Rubin allowed four runs in 4.1 innings.

Game 2
The Crimson Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning before the Golden Eagles clawed back to tie the score. In the top of the second inning, Cassie Daniels reached on an error by the shortstop that allowed Kelley come across and score. Kelley tied it up in the third inning, crushing a pitch from starting pitcher Megan Risinger to knot it up at 2-2.

IUP rebounded with a strong showing by scoring five in the bottom of the fifth inning, with Kassie Kesneck and Kaitlyn Beers driving in runs with RBI knocks off relief pitcher Laura Sadowski (0-3).

The Golden Eagles tallied nine total hits against the Crimson Hawks, including a 3-of-4 performance from Kelley and two hits from Aryn Boyer.