Clermont, FL - Each game on Thursday morning saw the Clarkson University Softball team trailing in the early innings, but the Golden Knights' offense would quickly respond as the team posted two more victories, gaining a 5-3 win over Buffalo State and a 9-3 win against Endicott College at Hancock Field.

The Golden Knights have now won six straight games to improve to 10-2 on the season. Buffalo State moved to 0-1 with its season-opening loss while the Gulls dropped to 3-5.

Against the Bengals in the opening game, Clarkson jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Raeanna Dunn led off the game with a double to left. The freshman shortstop advanced around the bases, finally coming home on a single from Katelin Ferguson. Buffalo State responded in the bottom half of the inning as Sarah Gorski started the rally with a one-out single. Joanna Bardak then walked, bringing up cleanup hitter Kate Brownell. The catcher than hit a long fly ball to left that remained inside the foul pole for a three-run homer and a 3-1 advantage for the home team. After going quietly in the second, Clarkson reclaimed the lead in the third as Summer Lancette and Jamie Bridge each delivered singles and Chelsea Elliott loaded the bases when she was hit by a pitch. Ferguson then doubled to center to drive in Lancette and Bridge and Erika Jensen followed with a sacrifice fly to score another, giving the Knights a 4-3 edge. Clarkson tacked on an insurance run in the seventh as Bridge was hit by a pitch and Elliott singled to put runners on. After two outs were recorded by the Bengals, Ali Schwenzfeier singled up the middle to send Bridge home for Clarkson's fifth run. Buffalo State started off the bottom half of the inning with a bunt single, but on a groundball to second, Elliott was able to tag the runner on her way to second base and then completed the double play by throwing out the runner at first base. A harmless infield pop up ended the game, giving the Knights another win.

Elliott reached base in all four of her plate appearances and Dunn and Schwenzfeier each went 2-for-4. Ferguson had two hits in three at bats and drove home three runs. Brownell did the key damage for Buffalo State with her first inning three-run homer.

In the second game of the day against Endicott, the Knights again found themselves behind in the opening frames. Sam DiBella lofted a shot to left-center in the second inning off Jamie Bridge that gave the Gulls a 1-0 lead, but Bridge would settle in and Clarkson's offense once again won the inning. In the bottom half of the second an error and a walk put runners on first and second and Schwenzfeier battled through a 13-pitch at bat to double to center and drive in pinch-runner MacKenzie Pelton with Clarkson's first run. That would be far from the last run of the inning, however, as Clarkson tallied four more. Katie Pelton hit a sacrifice fly to score Jensen and Dunn singled up the middle to send Schwenzfeier home. With runners on the corners, Summer Lancette stole second and a misplay on the throw allowed Dunn to trot home for Clarkson's fourth run. Finally, Elliott singled home Lancette to give Clarkson a 5-1 lead.

In the top of the third Julia McNeil hit a two-out double to drive in a run for the Gulls, but Clarkson would score two more in the bottom half of the fourth. Bridge singled up the middle to score Lancette, who had reached on an error and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Elliott then reached on a fielder's choice as the Endicott third baseman tried to look Bridge back to second base. That delay produced an error that allowed Bridge to come around with Clarkson's seventh run. McNeil hit another two-out double to plate a run in the top of the fifth, but an unearned for Clarkson in the bottom half of the inning returned the margin to five runs. Schwenzfeier then hit a one-out single in the sixth to drive in her second run of the game and complete the scoring.

Schwenzfeier went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Dunn went 2-for-4 for the second straight game. Bridge earned the win, allowing just the single hit in 4.1 innings and striking out eight with no walks. McNeil finished 2-for-3 for the Gulls with two RBI.