April 23, 2010
Box Score
ERIE - Clarion University sophomore pitcher Brandon Slater flirted for a while with a perfect game, but in the end Mercyhurst clawed out two runs, one earned, off the righty to take Game Two of a PSAC-West doubleheader in Erie 2-1 and earn a sweep of the twinbill.
Mercyhurst took Game One 17-3 thanks to a pair of five-run innings.
But with the bullpen taxed going into Game Two, Slater threw his best game of the year allowing the two runs on just two hits and two walks while striking out four.
Clarion staked the sophomore to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Sean Zimmerman scored on a Mercyhurst error on a Ken Morgan single.
Slater looked poised to have that one run hold up when he retired the first 12 batters he faced. But Mercyhurst led off the fifth with a single, and that runner came around to score an unearned run on a sacrifice fly. The run was set up by a passed ball.
The Lakers then took the lead in the next inning a second sacrifice fly, this time on a foul out to shortstop Mark White.
Morgan led Clarion's offense going 2-for-3.
In Game One, Mercyhurst built a 7-2 lead at the end of three innings and then added five in the fourth and five more in the sixth to blow the game wide open. Clarion got two runs in the third and one in the seventh.
Tom Briley led the Golden Eagles going 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored. Erik Kempton was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Mark White and Spencer White each added doubles.
Luke Prazenica took the loss going three-plus innings and allowing eight runs, six earned, on six hits and two walks while hitting a batter and striking out two. Bill Ruhland relieved and went two innings allowing four runs, all earned, on four hits and three walks while striking out one. T.J. Anderson allowed five runs, four earned, in 1/3 of an inning. He hit two batters and allowed two hits. Dane Dobson pitched 2/3 of an inning scoreless.
The losses drop Clarion to 6-32 overall and 1-21 in the PSAC-West. The Golden Eagles conclude their season with a home doubleheader against Mercyhurst starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.
