Worcester, Mass. – Clark's 3-4 hitters – Lauren Mackey (Dublin, N.H.) and Rachel Kraytenberg (Londonderry, N.H.) – had nine hits in 11 combined at-bats and the host Cougars swept a non-league softball doubleheader with Worcester-area rival Anna Maria at a chilly O'Brien Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The Scarlet and White rallied to win the opener, 4-3 and then used a dominating performance in the circle from Sami West (Gonic, N.H.) to take the nightcap 8-0.

Clark improves to 8-12 with the two wins, while the AMCATS, who were playing their first games in nearly three weeks, slips to 2-9.

Anna Maria plays next on Thursday with a visit to Becker College, while Clark will return to league play on Friday with a trip to Smith College.

Game 1: Clark University 4, Anna Maria 3

The Cougars scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to rally and get the victory. Down 3-2, Alyssa Wright (Manchester, N.H.) led off the inning with a double and then after she was advanced to third on a Jocie Orangio (Maynard, Mass.) sacrifice, she knotted the game on a Mackey double. Kraytenberg then brought Mackey home with a double of her own to give the Scarlet and White the 4-3 edge.

Clark took an early lead in the third when Mackey smacked a single to center that chased home Olivia Barksdale (Fort Washington, Md.) with the game's first run.

Anna Maria answered back in the top of the fourth on an RBI double from Jacqueline Lapierre (Worcester, Mass.), an RBI single from Amy Clement (Townsend, Mass.) and a fielder's choice by Victoria Falco (Marlborough, Mass.).

The Cougars inched closer in the bottom of the frame when Danielle Tesler (Stoughton, Mass.) spanked a one-out double and then pinch runner Leah Bodin (Andover, Vt.) scored on a Kayleigh McHugh (Pepperell, Mass.) single to left.

Anna Maria actually had a couple of opportunities to capitalize on some huge innings, but in both the third and fourth innings, McHugh was able to throw out a runner trying to steal second.

Brenna Foley (Charlton, Mass.) picked up the win in the circle for the Cougars, going all seven innings and scattering six hits and allowing three runs – only two of which were earned to secure her fourth win of the season.

Angela Vousboukis (Swampscott, Mass.) took the loss for the AMCATS as she allowed 11 hits in her six innings of work.

Kraytenberg, Mackey and Wright all had two hits for Clark, while Amanda Lemire (Methuen, Mass.) had a pair for Anna Maria.

Game 2: Clark University 8, Anna Maria 0 (5 Innings)

West was nearly unhittable in the nightcap, allowing just a bunt single in the top of the fourth as the Cougars jumped on AMCAT starter Ally Hamelin (Greenfield, Mass.) early.

Clark took a 1-0 lead in the first on a Kraytenberg RBI single but Hamelin was able to get out of the frame without any more trouble as she retired the final two batters of the inning with the bases loaded.

The Cougars then scored four runs in the second with two outs. A pair of infield singles by Wright and Orangio as well as a wild pitch pushed one run across and then Mackey drove in another with a single to center.

After Alexis Romano (Lowell, Mass.) replaced Hamelin, she was greeted by Kraytenberg who blasted a drive to the left centerfield gap that was just a few feet shy of going over the fence but scored Mackey, making the score 5-0.

West was cruising along, meanwhile, and at one point struck out seven straight batters – including all three batters swinging in the third.

After she struck out Lemire to begin the fourth, Sarah Coley (Worcester, Mass.) reached on an error but was promptly thrown out by Mackey trying to advance to second.

The next batter, however, Lapierre, dropped down a perfect bunt and beat West's throw to first for the lone AMCAT hit of the game.

Clark put the game away in the bottom of the fourth when Mackey drove in another run with a double and then Kraytenberg crushed a two-run homerun to right center.

Another run came home on a Barksdale single down the right field line.

West closed out the twinbill with two more strikeouts in the top of the fifth and then got Falco to fly out to center to end the game.

Overall, West retired the first ten batters she faced, allowed just one hit, no walks and struck out nine.

Offensively for Clark, Kraytenberg was 3-for-3 with a single, double, her fifth homerun of the season and four RBI, while Mackey was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored.