INDIANA – Thanks to great pitching in Game One from John Hynes and Brandon Slater, the Clarion University baseball team earned a split in PSAC-West baseball action at IUP Sunday afternoon.
The Golden Eagles (9-18 overall, 4-6 PSAC-West) won Game One 3-0 when it scored three runs in the top of the seventh before dropping Game Two 10-4 thanks to six runs in the first two innings by IUP (13-13, 6-8).
In Game One, a classic pitchers’ duel ensued between Hynes and IUP’s Colby Betz.
Hynes went 5 1/3 innings allowing just three hits and two walks while also hitting a batter. He struck out five. Slater relieved Hynes in the sixth inning with the bases loaded for IUP and one out and proceeded to strike out the first batter he faced before inducing the second batter he faced to ground back to the mound to end the threat.
Clarion’s offense, which had managed just two hits off Betz in the first six innings, came alive in the seventh inning scoring three runs.
Matt White and Matt Rossi led off the inning with back-to-back singles. A sacrifice bunt by Jason Krimsky put runners and second a third, and Kirk Hays’ single to left scored the game’s first run. Pat Smith relieved Betz and got Sean Zimmerman to pop out to the first baseman for the second out. Hays then stole double, and Mark White doubled home both Hays and Rossi giving Clarion the 3-0 advantage. Slater then set IUP down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh to pick up his first career win.
IUP’s bats came alive in Game Two knocking out 11 hits off two Clarion pitchers while scoring six runs in the first two innings off starter Erik Kempton. Kempton went the first three innings allowing eight runs, four earned, on five hits and five walks while striking out three. Gregg Bandzuh relieved and allowed two earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out one.
Clarion’s offense had 12 hits in the game but scored only the four runs as the Golden Eagles left 10 men on base. Matt Rossi was 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Scott Berkes added a 2-for-3 day, while Andrew Petruska was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored.
The two teams are scheduled to continue the series at 1 p.m. Monday at Clarion with another doubleheader.
