Cartia Sets Clarion U. Softball Home Run Record


CLARION, Pa. – Jessica Cartia became the Clarion softball program’s career leader in home runs with a solo shot early in the day, but the Golden Eagles dropped both ends of a doubleheader to Seton Hill at Memorial Field on Sunday.

(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)

The Griffins won the first game 12-3 in five innings and then overcame the Golden Eagles, 11-4, in eight innings in the nightcap. Clarion (0-19) will host Slippery Rock later this week.

Cartia’s historic home run came in the bottom of the fourth inning in the first game, a high arcing shot that cleared the leftfield fence. It was the 12th home run of Cartia’s young career, with the sophomore breaking the previous record of 11 career home runs set by Carlie Cook in less than two seasons. It should be noted that records only go back to 1993, but prior to the early 2000s, Clarion didn’t have a fence at its softball field.

However, the Griffins spoiled her big moment by winning both ends of the doubleheader, including an extra-innings effort in the second game after the Golden Eagles came back from a 4-2 deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at four before Seton Hill scored seven in the top of the eighth.

Macey Shumaker and Nicole Collins each hit opposite-way singles to right field to put runners on first and second with two outs, and Makenzie Wolfe drove a double deep into the rightfield corner to score a pair and make it 4-4. Cartia walked on four straight pitches in the next plate appearance but was tagged out on Rebecca Kelley’s ground ball to send the game to an eighth inning.

Seton Hill went off for seven runs in the top of the eighth inning going ahead 11-4 as Clarion headed to the plate in the bottom of the frame. The Golden Eagles were unable to get anything going in the inning as the Griffins recorded three quick outs to end the game.

Clarion tied the game at 2-2 early on thanks to RBI doubles from Katie Zameroski and Moriah Lynn, but the Griffins took a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning on an RBI double. Chelsea Liroff (0-4) took the loss as she allowed all the damage in the eighth inning.

The Griffins took the first game running away, scoring twice in the third inning and seven runs in the fourth to open up a 9-0 lead. Devyn Terry whacked a two-run double in the fifth inning to put the Griffins ahead 11-1, and a sacrifice fly from the next batter gave Seton Hill the 12-1 lead. The Golden Eagles got two of those runs back in the home half of the inning, starting with a double by Lynn that scored Katie Zameroski. Collins then scored Lynn with a single to center field, making it 12-3, but Cartia ended the game when her hard line drive to center field was gloved for the final out.


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