Game One Box Score / Game Two Box Score

BUTLER – Clarion's Brandon Slater threw a one-hitter in Game One of a PSAC West doubleheader with IUP Tuesday at Butler's Pullman Park to help the Golden Eagles earn a split of the twinbill with the Crimson Hawks.

 

Thanks to Slater, who carried a no hitter into the fifth inning, Clarion (9-26 overall, 7-13 PSAC West) won Game One 4-1 before dropping the nightcap 12-1 in six innings in a game shortened by rain.

 

The story of Game One was Slater, who retired the first 10 batters he faced before issuing a one-out walk in the fourth – he quickly erased that base runner with a double play – and didn't allow a hit until their was one out in the fifth.

 

Slater's final line was seven inning, one hit, one unearned run, three walks and four strikeouts.  

 

Clarion helped Slater with a pair of runs in the second and two more in the third.

 

With two outs in the second, Bill Hasson was hit by a pitch and Eric Grejda walked. Dane Dobson followed with a two-run double to left giving the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead.

 

Then in the third, with one out Jerico Weitzel walked and Matt Rossi belted a home run to left field, his second long ball of the season, making it 4-0.

 

In the second game, IUP (18-22, 10-10) jumped out to a 4-0 lead after 2 ½ innings before Clarion got a run back in the bottom of the third when Weitzel singled home Mark White, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

 

But the Crimson Hawks broke the game open with six in the fifth and then added two more in the sixth.

 

Scott Berkes took the loss going 4 1/3 innings and allowing nine runs, eight earned, on eight hits and four walks while striking out three. Sam Skraba then went 1 2/3 innings allowing three earned runs on four hits and a walk.

 

Weitzel led the offense going 2-for-3 with the RBI. He has now hit safely in five straight games.

 

Clarion returns to action Friday when it plays Lock Haven at a site and time to be determined.  

 

NOTES – With the split, Clarion is still mathematically alive for a PSAC Playoff spot. The Golden Eagles need some help, though. They have to sweep Lock Haven this weekend and would also need IUP to lose four games to California this weekend. Clarion would also most likely need Gannon to lose one of two to California Wednesday.