Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CLARION -
Matt Rossi hit his 18th career home run, but it wasn't enough as Clarion fell twice to Cal this afternoon at a windy Memorial Stadium. Rossi's slam came in the 7th inning of game one to put him one ahead of Kevin Gledhill for most home runs at Clarion since 1979.
The Vulcans (19-13, 7-3) took game one 23-9 then kept the offense rolling and took game two 13-3.
Rossi, who was 2-4 in the first game, crushed a pitch off of Vulcan reliever Dave Kuenic to lead off the 7th inning. Unfortunately for Rossi and Clarion (7-19, 5-9), it was too little too late. Leading 5-1 after the second inning, Clarion allowed 11 runs in the top of the third, 10 of which were unearned. Cal kept pouring on the offense as they scored 3 more runs in the 5th, 3 runs in the 6th, and 5 runs in the 7th. Clarion added two in the bottom of the 6th before Rossi's 7th inning solo slam.
In game two, Cal picked up where they left off in game one as they scored six runs in the second inning after trailing 1-0 to start the frame. Clarion committed three errors in the inning, which extended play several times for Cal. Cal added one in the 4th, one in the 5th, three in the 6th, and one in the 7th to extend the lead to 13-2. In the bottom of the 7th,
Scott Berkes,
Jerico Weitzel, and
Ken Morgan singled to load the bases before
Matt Rossi drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Berkes.
Offensively for Clarion, senior
Ken Morgan was 4-4 with four singles. Weitzel,
Jon Kemmer, Rossi,
Cole Heffner, and Berkes all added one hit apiece. Clarion starter
Mike Dunn worked five innings allowing 11 hits, nine runs, and notching four strikeouts. His counterpart, Kyle Thomas, pitched a complete game allowing three runs on nine hits, adding three strikeouts.
