CLARION, Pa. - The Fighting Scots softball team was able to pick up a series victory over the weekend by sweeping Friday's home doubleheader vs. Clarion and taking game number one of Saturday's games by an 8-4 final.

GAME ONE: EDINBORO - 8 CLARION - 4 (9 Innings)

Edinboro was able to force extra innings and get a come from behind win over the Golden Eagles in game number one. Extra-base hits made the difference for the Fighting Scots in the ball game as Jolene Teller (Sagamore Hills, Ohio//Nordonia/Mercyhurst), Mackenzie Quider (Sanborn, NY/Niagara Wheatfield), and Lauren Bush (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) all went deep for Edinboro to lead a well balanced Fighting Scots offense that collected 15 hits in the game.

Cheyenne Shughart (Shermansdale, PA/West Perry) also belted a double in the top of inning number nine which scored two and helped the Fighting Scots go ahead by what ultimately be the final score, 8-4.

Edinboro was able to get out to an early 1-0 lead in the top half of the second inning when Teller belted a solo shot to left field. The lead would not last long as Clarion would knot the score at one a piece heading into the third. After both teams went 1-2-3 in their respective halves of the third inning, Clarion was able to take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth as Hannah Norton walked to lead off the inning and Rebecca Kelly went deep to make it 3-1 in favor of the Golden Eagles.

The Fighting Scots would not go away however as they would score two of their own in the visiting half of the fifth inning to tie the score at 3-3. Maya Kozup (Pittsburgh, PA/Avonworth) continued to swing a hot bat this weekend with two more hits in game number one, including a rally starting single through the left side to put one on with one away. Quider was due up next and delivered with a single and both she and Kozup took advantage of a Clarion error by each moving into scoring position.

With two in scoring position and just one away, Morgan Spitler (Lucas, Ohio/Lucas) came up big for Edinboro with an RBI single to score Kozup and make it a 3-2 ball game. Bush was up next and delivered with a sacrifice fly to center field to knot the score a three heading into the bottom of the frame.

It was not until the bottom of the sixth when Clarion regained their lead as Norton led off the inning with a double and was replaced by courtesy runner Carissa Giordano who would ultimately score the go-ahead runner for the Golden Eagles.

The 4-3 lead proved to not be enough as Quider knotted the score back up at four with a big fly over the left field fence. The Fighting Scots continued to threaten, but were not able to score another runner in the top of the seventh and the score stood at 4-4. Macy Sral (Lilly, PA/Penn Cambria) and Jade Renner (Wind Ridge, PA/West Greene) combined to hold Clarion without a run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.

In the top half of the ninth inning, the offense exploded for the Fighting Scots as Quider led off the inning with a single and her team leading third hit of the ball game. Stephanie Krick (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) would come into pinch run and would ultimately score the game winning runner later in the inning.

After a pop-up left one on with one away, first-year Lauren Bush hit her first collegiate home run, a two run shot to left to give the Fighting Scots a 6-4 lead. This big fly was not all as Lauren Gierlak (Edinboro, Pa./General McLane) would single to left field to put one on with one out. Nya Adams (Finleyville, PA/Ringgold) would smack a single to center to put the two speedsters on first and second with still one away. 

After a pop up Shugart would deliver in a big way with a two out, bases clearing double to blow the game open and help Edinboro take an 8-4 lead. Renner was able to continue solid pitching in relief by facing just three batters and forcing a 6-4-3 double-play to help the Fighting Scots close the door on Clarion in game number one of the day. Renner's victory was the second of her young career at Edinboro.

GAME TWO: CLARION 3 - EDINBORO - 0

Though Edinboro was able to collect six hits, they were unable to string together enough offense to overcome a solid pitching performance from Megan Anderson of Clarion who pitched a complete game shutout for the Golden Eagles of game number two of the day. 

Bush was able to pitch four solid innings, including setting down the first six batters she faced but it was not quite enough in this ball game. Dylan Claycomb (Roaring Springs, PA/Central) entered the game in relief for Bush in the circle and added two strong innings in relief for the Fighting Scots.

On offense, Edinboro picked up multi-hit games from Maura Pasquale (Zelienople, PA/Seneca Valley) and Teller. Kozup added a double and Krick was able to collect a base hit of her own.

Clarion was able to get on the board in the fourth inning to break the scoreless tie as Megan Anderson helped her own cause with an RBI single which would ultimately score two because of a Fighting Scots defensive miscue. The Golden Eagles would add one additional insurance run in the next inning thanks to the Brooke Cline RBI ground out that scored lead-off hitter Alyssa Stitt.

In the top of the sixth, the Fighting Scots were able to get two runners in scoring position with just one away, but they were unable to manufacture the needed runs to get back into the ball game.

Clarion now holds a 12-20 record with an 8-18 mark in PSAC play. Edinboro on the other hand is now 12-14 with an identical record in the PSAC. They are nearing .500 ball and will have a chance to get back to .500 as they host the California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans on Wednesday, April 28 in make up games set to be played at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.