CLARION — Clarion University softball waited a long time to break a losing streak. Alyssa Stitt is still waiting to play in her first career collegiate game.

Both are playing a longer waiting game now.

Stitt, a Karns City graduate, is a walk-on shortstop with the Golden Eagles. She was looking to earn playing time for a program that had lost 48 consecutive games.

She never got the chance.

“I broke my wrist just before we were going to Florida for the spring season,” Stitt said. “I was hoping to earn a spot while we were down there.”

Stitt also considered Edinboro before choosing Clarion. Softball did not factor into her decision.

Clarion had her major — rehabilitative sciences — and her mother is an alumnus of the university. The losing streak didn't matter.

“I just wanted to keep playing ball,” Stitt said.

A four-year starter at Karns City — a catcher as a freshman, a shortstop since — Stitt had a career batting average of .528 with the Gremlins. Her on-base percentage was .612. She hit second in the lineup and had 23 career RBI.

Stitt's career fielding percentage in high school was .982.

Karns City won the Keystone-Shortway Athletic Conference title once, the District 9 championship twice during her high school career.

First-year Clarion softball coach Lis Fee received a pleasant surprise when she saw Stitt working out with the squad as a walk-on last fall.

“Alyssa is a talented player from a winning program,” the coach said. “Obviously, we welcome that combination. We were very deep at the shortstop position, but she was in the mix.”

That was before her freak accident.

During one of the team's winter drills, Stitt was fielding and throwing. As she released a throw, her arm extended just beyond the batting cage and her wrist was hit by a teammate's line drive.

“I was supposed to be down eight to 12 weeks,” Stitt said. “This is the 10th week and I just got my cast off (Wednesday).

“I'm hoping to play for somebody's team this summer as a fill-in, just to get some time in and get ready for our fall workouts.”

Clarion began the season with five shortstops. It ended the year with one as three others, along with Stitt, were sidelined by injuries.

While the shortstops are underclassmen, Fee does not plan on moving Stitt to another position.

“She tells me she can play other spots and I believe her, but I like her as a shortstop,” Fee said. “She's smooth defensively and she's got the arm.”

She's got the attitude, too.

“While she was injured, Alyssa remained a part of this team,” Fee said. “She didn't just sit quietly on the bench. She was into the game, helping her teammates out, telling them what she was seeing.

“Alyssa stayed positive the entire time.”

Even through the losing.

Clarion's skid reached 59 straight — including 0-11 this year — before the Eagles posted a 4-1 win over Gannon in the second game of a March 12 doubleheader.

“I didn't experience any of the losing before I got here, so that streak didn't really affect me,” Stitt said. “When I first got here, the overall mood was down at first. The dynamic was off.

“The dynamic was different when I was in high school.”

The Eagles' win changed all of that. But they never had a chance to build on it. The remainder of the season was canceled the next day.

“The timing of it (NCAA spring sports shutdown) could not have been worse for us,” Fee admitted. “We rode a big emotional roller coaster.”

Still, Stitt sees the positive.

“The girls proved we can do it, we can compete,” she said. “Because our season was so short, nobody nailed down any starting jobs. We've got all but two players coming back and all positions are open.”

Stitt is aiming to claim the shortstop spot.

“I won't be surprised if it happens,” Fee said.

Stitt won't be surprised if winning becomes a habit for Clarion softball.

“The talent is here and we're young,” she said. “We just have to believe. Over the next few years, I think this team is going to stun a lot of people.”