Babson Park, Mass. - Senior Danielle Liska pitched seven outstanding innings to lead the Babson College softball team to a 3-1 victory over visiting Clark University in game one of a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEMWAC) doubleheader at Babson's Alumni Field on Friday afternoon.

Clark then used an eight-run second inning to take game two, 10-3, and earn the split.

Babson's all-time leader with 444 strikeouts entering the day, the senior righthander added eight more to that total in the opener, as she allowed just one run on four hits in seven innings. The victory improved her record to 10-4 on the season.

The Beavers took the lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the second, as sophomore captain Nicole Latini doubled into the right field corner, moved to third on a groundout to short by sophomore Kayla Davis, and scored on an error off the bat of senior captain Brittney Russo's.

Clark knotted the score at 1-1 in the fourth, as senior captain Melissa Traft (Milton, Mass.) led off with her third home run of the season over the wall in left. However, that would be all the runs that Liska would allow, as she blanked the Cougars over the final three frames.

Babson took the lead for good in the fifth, beginning when Davis ripped a double to right center. Sophomore pinch-runner Jillian Smith then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Russo, and sophomore Lisa Wojnar followed with a fly out to right. Sophomore outfielder Stefanie Kettenacker's (Hastings-On-Hudson, N.Y.) throw to the plate was on target, but Smith made a perfect slide to elude the tag of sophomore catcher Erin Murphy (Boxboro, Mass.) for the go-ahead run.

The Beavers tacked on an insurance run in the sixth, as first-year Catie Funk doubled to center and later scored on a wild pitch.

Junior Sarah Carter (Worcester, Mass.) took the loss for the Cougars, despite allowing just two earned runs on five hits, walking one and striking out three in six strong innings. The loss dropped her season mark to 11-4. Traft and first-year Mel Melkonian (Worcester, Mass.) accounted for all of Clark's offense, recording two hits apiece.

Babson wasted little time in grabbing the lead in game two, as Latini belted a two-out double to right center, scoring sophomore Jess Pashos all the way from first. However, the Cougars erupted for eight runs in the top of the second, beginning when Kettenacker, senior Chelsea Proulx (Franklin, N.H.), and sophomore Meghan Lennon (Charlton, Mass.) hit consecutive one-out singles to tie the game at 1-1.

A walk to Murphy loaded the bases, and another free pass to senior Joanna Clark (Windham, Mass.) forced in the Cougars' second run. Senior captain Lauren Blake (Oakland, Maine) followed with a two-run single to center, an error allowed another run to score, and Traft plated one more with a base hit to center.

Senior Darcey Kurashige-Elliott (Berkeley, Calif.) then capped off the eight-run outburst with a two-run single to left, giving the visitors a commanding 8-1 advantage.

Clark made it 9-1 on an RBI single by Kurashige-Elliott in the top of the sixth, but the Beavers got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Davis blasted a solo homer to left center. It was the sophomore slugger's seventh home run of the spring, breaking Babson's single-season record of six set by program-great Colleen Kelly '04 back in 2002.

The Cougars finished off their scoring in the seventh, as Proulx doubled to left and scored on a double to center by Murphy. Babson then got its final run in the bottom half of the inning, as Funk walked, moved to third on a double by Pashos, and scored on Latini's second double of the game.

First-year pitcher Nicole Meuse (Hudson, Mass.) went 5 2/3 innings for Clark in game two, giving up just one run on three hits, walking three and striking out three. With the win, she improved her season record to 9-3. Carter came on to get the final four outs, allowing one run on two hits and a walk.

Liska started and took the loss in game two for the Beavers, dropping her record to 10-6. The senior was charged with five runs on three hits and a pair of walks while striking out one in 1 1/3 innings. First-year Megan Brain came on and allowed five runs - four earned - on eight hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings of relief.

The Cougars return to the diamond on Saturday (weather permitting) for a home contest against Wheaton.