FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Clark University softball team (4-4) traveled to Fitchburg State (9-10) on Tuesday afternoon and split a two-game series from Coolidge Park.

Clark fell 12-11 in eight innings in game one and the Cougars won game two 5-1.

Game One: Fitchburg State 12, Clark 11 (F/8)

• Junior Eliza Lindberg scored Clark's first run of the game in the top of the first as Clark opened the game up with six runs in the top of the first.
• Juniors Samantha Restrepo-Stier and Natalie Stilwell each doubled in a pair of runs in the top of the first as the Cougars took a 6-0 lead.
• Senior Kaylee Gibson took the mound for Clark in game one and set down three batters in the bottom of the first and got out of the second inning with a runner on third by forcing a batter to fly out to right field.
• After Fitchburg State scored a combined five runs in the third and fourth, senior Jessica Martin drove in a run with a walk and junior Kaylee Armida singled to left center to drive in two runs to push the lead to 9-5 in the top of the fifth.
• The Falcons tied the game in the bottom of the fifth before junior Nicole Buckley belted a homer to right field in the top of the sixth to regain the lead, but Fitchburg tied the game in the bottom of the sixth and won the game 12-11.

Game Two: Clark 5, Fitchburg State 1

• Crowley tripled to right center in the top of the first, but was unable to come around to score.
• Junior Nicole Sardilli got the ball in game two for Clark on the mound and retired in the bottom of the first.
• Gibson scored the first Clark run of game two in the top of the second when she scored on a ball hit by Armida.
• After Fitchburg State tied the game in the bottom of the second and the Cougars took the lead in the top of the third when senior Francesca Cirone hit a sacrifice fly that scored Lindberg to take a 2-1 advantage.
• Sardilli retired the side in the third before Gibson scored another run in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 3-1.
• Martin hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth and junior Reilly Bronson drove in a run in the top of the sixth and Sardilli retired the final six batters of the game in order as Clark came away with a 5-1 victory.

What's Next

Clark will be back in action on Friday night when they welcome Springfield to the O'Brien Softball Field for a NEWMAC doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m.