STEUBENVILLE, Ohio- The Franciscan University softball team played an exciting doubleheader until errors halted the momentum and cost the Lady Barons both games. FUS was defeated 8-4 and 17-4 by Penn State Beaver.

The first game began stellar defense from Franciscan, and the score was tied heading into the bottom of the second inning.

Freshman third baseman Hailey Wesselman started out the inning with a single to right field that trickled through Beaver's rightfielder's legs and to the fence, which allowed Wesselman to advance to third on the play. Senior captain and centerfielder Amanda Ruwart then hit another triple, scoring Wesselman easily. Ruwart eventually came around to score on a wild pitch later in the inning and the Lady Barons held a 2-0 lead.

"Our pitching was on, our batting was on, our catching was on," junior catcher Becca Peters said of game one.

FUS held on to the lead using smart defensive play. In the top of the fourth inning, with Beaver threatening to cut into the lead with one out and a runner on first, Franciscan pitcher Molly Clarahan gave up a hard hit ball to left field. The ball was fumbled in the outfield, which led Beaver's baserunner attempt to score from first base. She was gunned down with a frozen rope from Ruwart in center to Peters behind the plate. Peters made the play even more exciting by then turning the double play by throwing out the Beaver runner at third attempting to advance on the throw to end the inning.

The bottom of the fourth started out much like the second, when Wesselman hit a double and was hit home by a follow-up double from Ruwart. Peters hit a single, hitting Ruwart home and opening Franciscan's lead to 4-0.

The fifth inning went quickly for both Beaver and FUS, bringing the game into the sixth inning.

"Everybody really contributed to the success up until that sixth inning," head coach Jen Parker said. "They played heads up ball, they made good plays, they were talking to each other, communicating. They were strong in the batters box. They were just doing everything right those first six innings. Unfortunately we tend to hit a wall. Today it was in the sixth inning but we need to take it the whole game."

Multiple errors, weaker pitching, and slower play on the field led Beaver to score seven runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Lady Barons lost their lead and did not recover. The seventh inning ended with another run from Beaver, and Franciscan was defeated after holding the lead for the first five innings.

"We had a lot of problems in the sixth inning and couldn't recover from that," Parker said.  "Honestly, two errors in that inning cost us the game and caused us to crumble as a team. It was all mental. One error that costs us a run or gives the other team a little bit of an advantage really gets inside our heads and we can't let it do that. We have got to rebound that a lot better."

After the first loss, FUS moved into the second game with less force than anticipated. Beaver benefitted from that advantage and scored nine runs in the first inning, and that was all the Lady Lions needed to put away the Lady Barons for the eventual 17-4 victory.

"Coming into the second game, it was disappointing when they scored nine runs on us in the first inning," Parker said. "I was impressed with how we came back and put some runs on the board. An inside the park homerun [by Katrina Fabian], that doesn't happen all the time. That was a great hit by Katrina. I was hoping that was going to start some momentum for us."

The Lady Barons had many successful innings, but mental blocks caused by errors lost the doubleheader for them in a handful of crucial innings, said Parker.

"The first game was great," Parker said. "I had goose bumps. It was such an exciting game. It is hard to see them play so well and then turn around and have so many errors. I know they are better than that."

The Lady Barons seek to eliminate the consistent loss of momentum they have been struggling with throughout the season. The players are determined in reaching a point of mental toughness when playing.

"We need to just keep working on keeping a positive attitude on the field," Peters said. "I make mistakes as we all do, but we need to work through it."

The Lady Barons will play next in a home doubleheader on Saturday, April 27 at 1 and 3 p.m. against Hilbert College.