Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CLARION, Pa. – Pitching performance by junior's Annie Truelove and Alexandra Puckly led the Mercyhurst softball team to a sweep over Clarion University on Wednesday afternoon.  The Lakers improved to 9-13 on the season and 3-3 in the PSAC West.  Clarion fell to 1-10 on the season and 0-4 in the PSAC West.
 
Truelove collected a season-high six strikeouts to help the Lakers to a 10-3 win in game one.  Truelove pitched a complete seven-inning game and allowed seven hits for two earned runs and just one walk of the 31 batters faced.
 
Clarion took an early 2-0 lead at the bottom of the first inning and held the lead until the Lakers tied the game at the top of the third.  Sophomore Chelsea Calabro made an appearance on the bases as a pinch runner and freshman Rachel DiBartolomeo tallied her third double of the season to give Mercyhurst base runners with two outs.  Senior Courtney Smith pushed across two runs to tie the contest on an outfield single.
 
The Eagles took over the lead again at the bottom of the fifth but Mercyhurst answered back with a five run inning at the top of the six.  The Lakers capitalized on four Clarion errors and just two hits by seniors Courtney Smith and Megan Smith.  The Lakers completed the ten run contest with three more runs at the top of the final inning including freshman Meghan Maranto's first career hit as a Mercyhurst Laker which resulted in an RBI. 
 
In game two, the Lakers crossed the dish early as hits from Yule, Malaga and Courtney Smith and an error from the Clarion offense gave Mercyhurst a 2-0 lead after the first inning.  Puckly tallied her first double of the season to extend to game to 3-0 at the top of the sixth before the Lakers offense pushed two more runs across at the top of the seventh by Courtney Smith. 
 
The Eagles found a way past Puckly and prevented the shutout as they scored three late runs on four hits in their final efforts against Mercyhurst.  K Wilcox and M. Anderson both tallied doubles with runners in scoring position to push across the combined three runs, however the Lakers defense stopped the rally to complete the 5-3 victory.
 
Puckly pitched the complete seven innings and allowed six hits for three earned runs and shutout seven in 28 batters faced. 
 
Yule extended her hitting streak to five games after going 4-for-9 throughout the doubleheader against the Eagles.  Courtney Smith went 4-for-4 in game two with 3 RBIs to mark the first time this season Smith batted 1.000 in a contest.
 
The Lakers are scheduled to host California (Pa.) on Friday, April 4 for the Lakers home opener at 2:30 p.m.  The Lakers complete the weekend with a trip to Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday, April 5 at 1:00 p.m.