NORTON, Mass. – The Clark University softball team (3-14, 0-2 NEWMAC) opened conference play on Sunday afternoon with a pair of games against Wheaton (12-4, 2-0 NEWMAC) and fell to the Lyons in both contests from Clark Field.

Game One: Wheaton 6, Clark 3

• Clark took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as senior Eliza Lindberg scored off a fielder's choice from graduate student Kaylee Gibson.
• Senior Nicole Buckley took the bump in game one and only allowed one run in the bottom of the first after getting out of a first and second base jam.
• First-year Emelie Spence scored in the second inning and Lindberg belted a double to left field to play junior Samantha Crowley to give the Cougars a 3-1 advantage.
• Gibson and graduate student Jessica Martin each drew walks in the top of the third, but were left on base before the Lyons tied the game in the bottom of the third.
• Clark loaded the bases in the top of the fourth as Crowley and first-year Felicia Salvati each singled and first-year Ella Traynor was hit by pitch, but the Lyons got out of the jam.
• After Wheaton added two runs in the bottom of the fourth, Lindberg got on base in the top of the sixth and in the top of the seventh, first-year Alyssa Briggs and advanced to second before Wheaton retired the final Cougar to come away with a 6-3 win.

Game Two: Wheaton 7, Clark 4

• Lindberg and Gibson each reached base in the top of the first before the Lyons forced a double play.
• Wheaton plated four runs in the bottom of the first before Clark responded with an RBI double from first-year Madison Dillon that plated first-year Magdalena Barthel as Clark cut the deficit to 4-1.
• The Cougars added three runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 4-4 as Gibson doubled to left field to plate Crowley, Martin singled to left to score Lindberg, and Dillons singled up the middle to plate Gibson.
• Wheaton added runs in the third and fourth before Briggs drew a walk in the top of the fifth, but the Lyons got out of the jam.
• Trailing 7-4 in the top of the seventh, Salvati singled and Barthel doubled to left field with one out, but Wheaton recorded the final two outs of the game.

What's Next

The Cougars will play their home-opener on Tuesday when they welcome Fitchburg State to O'Brien Softball Field beginning at 3:00 p.m.