April 18, 2008
LOCK HAVEN - The Clarion University baseball team broke its 12-game losing streak by scoring three runs in the top of the sixth of to get a 7-6 win at Lock Haven in Game One of a PSAC-West twinbill Friday afternoon.
Although the Golden Eagles dropped Game Two 12-5, the come-from-behind win in Game One was the main story.
Clarion trailed 6-4 going to the sixth, but Matt White and Jordan Premick led off the inning with singles. After a strikeout, Cedric Johnson singled to load the bases, and Lock Haven made a pitching change.
Adam Foltz then hit a groundball to shortstop that went through the legs of the shortstop for an error with Foltz getting an RBI. The bases remained loaded with Clarion trailing 6-5. Doug Brown then tied the game with a single that scored Premick and kept the bases jammed.
Lock Haven appeared to get out of the inning without farther damage when Jason Krimsky hit a grounder to shortstop. But the Bald Eagle second baseman couldn't handle the throw at second leaving everyone safe with Johnson scoring the go-ahead run. But the play wasn't quite over, as Brown rounded second but got tagged out before Jake Yackovich popped out ending the inning. But the damage had been done with Clarion holding a 7-6 lead.
Kirk Hays, who had relieved Eric Panko in the bottom of the fifth, then shut the door on Lock Haven to preserve the victory, Clarion's first since a 3-2 win at IUP March 30.
Hays got the win going three innings in relief and allowing one unearned run on one hit and one walk while striking out three. Panko went four-plus innings allowing five runs, three earned, on six hits and two walks while getting two strikeouts.
Yackovich, Matt Rossi and Premick each had two hits for Clarion, while Krimsky was 1-for-4 with three RBIs.
In Game Two, Clarion's defense let it down. The Golden Eagles committed six errors leading to six unearned Lock Haven runs in the 12-5 Bald Eagle victory.
Robert Pollum took the loss going 4 1/3 innings and allowing 11 runs, only five earned, on 10 hits and a walk while striking out two. He hit a batter. Tyler Ross finished the final 1 2/3 innings allowing one earned run on three hits.
Krimsky was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI giving him four RBIs in the two games.
With the split, Clarion improved to 8-20 overall and 2-12 in the PSAC-West. The Golden Eagles will host Lock Haven in a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
