April 25, 2008

SLIPPERY ROCK - The Clarion University baseball team split a PSAC-West twinbill at Slippery Rock Friday evening winning Game One 7-6 and dropping the nightcap 4-1.

In the opener, Clarion led 7-1 at the end of 4 ½ innings but had to hold off a late Slippery Rock charge that included a four-run sixth inning. The Rock had the tying run at second in the inning with two outs, but Nate Semovoski got a pop out to end the inning. Kirk Hays then came on in the seventh and set Slippery Rock down in order to pick up his third save of the season.

Robert Pollum got the win going 4 1/3 innings and allowing two runs, both earned, on five hits and five walks while striking out two. Gregg Bandzuh went 1 1/3 allowing four earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out one, and Semovoski faced two batters allowing one to reach on a error and getting the pop out.

Matt Rossi led the offense going 1-for-3 with a home run, his fourth, three RBIs and two runs scored. Jason Krimsky was 2-for-4 with a run scored, Hays was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. Andrew Petruska was 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI, Adam Foltz was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Jake Yackovich had a double.

In Game Two, Slippery Rock scored twice in the third and twice in the fifth to get the 4-1 victory.

Eric Panko took the loss going six innings and allowing four earned runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out six.

Yackovich was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while Matt White had the RBI for Clarion.

Clarion is now 12-22 overall and 4-14 in the PSAC-West. The two teams meet at Clarion Saturday in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.