03/02/2008
Softball Opens 2008 Campaign With Split

FORT MYERS, FLA. 03/02/08  The Clark University softball team opened their 2008 season with an 8-0 shutout loss to St. Mary's College (Ind.), but rebounded to post an 11-3 victory over Anna Maria College in the nightcap on Sunday afternoon. Both games were five innings.

In the opener, Clark mustered just two hits. Sophomores Lauren Blake and Alex Gauthier collected single hits for the Cougars.

Sophomore Melissa Traft suffered her first loss of the season as she gave up eight runs on 14 hits with one strikeout.

Sophomore Calli Davidson fanned 12 batters to pick up the win for St. Mary's.

St. Mary's scored at least one run in each inning, including a four-run fourth, to secure the victory.

It was a different story in game two. Senior Heather Warren led Clark with three hits, including two homeruns, and four RBI. Sophomores Darcy Kurashige-Elliot and Joanna Clark and first-year Marla Houghton recorded two hits apiece in the game.

The Cougars, who finished the game with 12 hits, didn't waste any time getting on the board with a three-run first inning.

Leading by four (6-2) in the top of the fourth, Clark extended to its advantage with five-runs in the frame. Warren's two-run homerun  her second of the game  a round-tripper from Darcy Kurashige-Elliot, and RBI hits from newcomers Katherine Tutela and Houghton accounted for the final 11-3 score.

Rookie Sarah Carter (Worcester, Mass.) earned the victory in her collegiate debut. She allowed five hits and struck-out five in five innings on the mound.

Clark (1-1) will face Rockford College (Ill.) and St. Joseph's College of Maine at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, on Monday.