Leicester, Mass. – Sami West (Gonic, N.H.) fanned 11 batters and Taylor Erickson (Natick, Mass.) blasted a two-run homerun to help Clark University to a split of non-league softball twinbill with Worcester-area rival Becker College on Tuesday afternoon at Russell Field.

The host Hawks won the opener 2-1 before the Scarlet and White rallied to grab the nightcap, 4-1 in eight innings.

With the win, Clark snaps a five-game losing streak to improve to 6-10 overall, while Becker sits at 4-8 in advance of their New England Collegiate Conference opener with Bay Path on Friday.

The Cougars open up NEWMAC play with a home doubleheader on Saturday against MIT.

Game 1: Becker 2, Clark University 1

The host Hawks broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jessica Wheelahan smacked a one-out double into the left centerfield gap. Megan Klemanchuck (Pawtucket, R.I.) followed with a single to center, putting runners at the corners. Brianna Herforth (Peru, Mass.) drove in Wheelahan with the first run of the game on an RBI ground out to short. Klemanchuck would make her way home on a wild pitch to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

Clark refused to go down quietly in the top of the seventh. The Cougars would load the bases with a walk, a single and a hit by pitch. Becker pitcher Kelsey Norberg (Uxbridge, Mass.) was able to strikeout Erickson for the first out but the Scarlet and White would plate their first run when Norberg uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Lauren Mackey (Dublin, N.H.) to scamper home. After Kendra Walker (Cumberland, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, Norberg preserved the victory with back-to-back strikeouts.

Norberg earned her third win of the season after allowing one run on three hits, while striking out eight Cougars. Brenna Foley (Charlton, Mass.) suffered the loss after allowing two runs on four hits.

Game 2: Clark University 4, Becker College 1 (8 innings)

Much like game one, the Hawks waited until the sixth inning to plate a run. After Jaclyn Orangio (Maynard, Mass.) singled up the middle, she was able to advance into scoring position on a Jennifer VanAlphen (Hudson, N.Y.) groundout. Wheelahan then put the Hawks on the board with an RBI single to center.

With the Cougars down to their last out in the top of the seventh, West (Gonic, N.H.) helped her own cause with an infield single. Danielle Tesler (Stoughton, Mass.) tied the game with a pinch-hit double down the right field line, scoring West from first base.

Clark took its first lead of the afternoon in the top of the eighth when Rachel Kraytenberg (Londonderry, N.H.) reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Alyssa Wright (Manchester, N.H.) to score the go-ahead run. The Cougars then put the game out of reach when Erickson blasted a two-run homerun over the left field fence to make the score 4-1.

West earned the victory after allow one run on four hits, while striking out 11 Hawks.