FORT MEYERS, Fla. – The Clark University softball team split its first doubleheader of the season, defeating Finlandia in a 4-2 final during game one before falling to Drew in an 8-7 slugfest to close out the day at the CenturyLink Sports Complex.

The Basics

Score: Cougars 4, Lions 2 (Game One) | Rangers 8, Cougars 7 (Game Two)

Records Clark University (1-1) | Finlandia (1-5) | Drew (1-3)

How it Happened

Game One: Cougars 4, Lions 2

The Cougars notched their first win of the season on game one as six different hitters picked up a base knock to aid the offense. Junior Francesca Cocca (Tewksbury, Mass.) delivered two RBI on a 1-for-2 day at the plate while senior tri-captain Christina Kopacz (North Grosvenordale, Conn.) drove in one RBI on a double.

Junior Isabella DiOrio (Lincoln, R.I.) went the distance in the circle to pick up the win, scattering eight hits while allowing just one earned run and striking out six for the Cougars.

Clark did all its damage in the bottom of the first inning, stringing together four of their six hits on the day while also taking advantage of an error. The inning started with a walk to Sydney Nilsen (Wallingford, Conn.) before the first-year swiped second base to move into scoring position. Two batters later, Francesca Cirone (Franklin Square, N.Y.) reached on an error at third to provide Nilsen the chance to come in with the game's first run.

After a single from Jessica Martin (Winthrop, Mass.) moved Cirone to scoring position, the Cougars extended the lead with a double off the bat of Kopacz providing an early 2-0 lead. Clark wasn't done though as a two-out single from Cocca brought home Kopacz and Samantha Restrepo-Stier (Davie, Fla.), who reached on a bunt single, to make it a 4-0 score.

Finlandia struck for a run in the top of the third as a leadoff single from Casey Lopez and a sacrifice bunt from Denia Bent moved the runner to second. With two outs in the inning, the Lions snagged their first run on an RBI double to left field from Emily Nguyen.

In the fourth the Lions halved the deficit, 4-2, this time getting the lead runner aboard on a defensive miscue from Kopacz. Two batters later, Finlandia's Danielle Gonzalez came through, rifling an RBI single down the right-field line to bring around Kassandra Avila.

Diorio was able to recover over the final three innings, starting when she set the side down in order in the top of the fifth. The junior righty was able to stay in control over the final two frames, surrendering only two hits while stranding a runner at third base in the top of the sixth to nix the Lions final scoring opportunity of the game en route to the 4-2 victory in the season-opener. 

Game Two: Rangers 8, Cougars 7

The offense of the Cougars pounded out 13 hits during game two with Nilsen, Cirone and Kopacz leading the way by each finishing with three-hit games at the dish.

Clark took the early lead in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly from Martin allowing Nilsen to score after reaching on a lead-off single. One batter later, Kopacz made it a 2-0 game with an RBI single to plate Cirone to cap off a three-hit frame. Drew halved the deficit in the home-half of the first with Adriana Rodriguez delivering a single into right centerfield to bring in Renata Primmer. 

The Cougars stood locked in at the plate in the top of the second as Martin again came through, this time placing a two-run single to the grass in centerfield for a 4-1 advantage. Clark added to it before the third out was recorded as Kopacz followed with a single to centerfield to bring in pinch-runner Allessia Mauro (Woodbury, Conn.) for a four-run lead.

In the top of the fourth, Clark tacked on another run as first-year Restrepo-Stier drove in her first collegiate RBI, plating first-year Kaylee Armida (Pine Bush, N.Y.) who came on to pinch-run for Cirone.

Drew scored a run in the bottom of the fourth on a single from Makayla Sosa to make it a 6-2 score, but the Cougars quickly got it back in the top of the fifth inning with Cirone driving in Nilsen on an RBI single to give the team a five-run advantage.

The Rangers began to build momentum in the bottom of the fifth inning, pushing across four runs on four hits and taking advantage of a defensive miscue. A bases-loaded walk to Jasmine Vera made it 7-5 before a single into right field from Sosa brought the gap down to one run.

Drew continued its push in the bottom of the sixth, striking for a pair of runs with two hits. The Rangers were able to take the lead as a hit-by-pitch and a walk, both with the bases loaded, allowed them to take an 8-7 lead. Clark put the tying run into scoring position as Nilsen walked before swiping second base, but were unable to push it across as consecutive fly-outs ended the game with the final score.

Senior Sarah Woods (Littleton, Mass.) received the no-decision in 4.2 innings, striking out four and allowing five earned runs on seven hits. On the other side, Drew's Emilee Marshall went the distance for the win while surrendering seven earned runs on 13 hits and four walks.

Up Next

Clark returns to the softball diamond on Monday, March 2 when the Cougars take on Albion at 9:00 AM and Grove City at 1:00 PM.