Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ERIE, Pa. – Despite a solid pitching performance in Game Two from Brett Whitman, the Clarion University baseball team was swept in a PSAC West doubleheader at Mercyhurst Saturday losing Game One 7-0 and Game Two 4-0.
 
Whitman went six innings in Game Two allowing four runs, all earned, on eight hits and five walks while striking out four. It was the fewest runs allowed by a Golden Eagle starter since Whitman allowed four in a 4-1 loss to California April 6. He has now allowed four or fewer runs in four of his eight starts.
 
Clarion also got a decent Game One start from Tyler Delval, who allowed four earned runs, seven total, on eight hits and two walks while striking out six. Delval was hurt by a costly Josh Ponsoll error on a dropped fly ball leading off the second inning that led to three unearned runs.
 
But while Clarion's pitching was decent, the Golden Eagle bats never got it going on a cold day in Erie managing just eight hits in the doubleheader including six in the nightcap.
 
In the second game, Jordan Mesoraco, brother of Cincinnati Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco, Bill Hasson and Nick Maskrey were all 2-for-3 with a pair of singles each. Maskrey, along with Derek Danver, had Clarion's hits in the first game with both collecting singles.
 
In Game One, Mercyhurst did all its damage in the first three innings scoring once in the first and three times each in the second and third.
 
Despite only the two hits, the Golden Eagles did have chances to score putting runners in scoring position in the first and sixth innings.
 
In the first, Mesoraco walked with one out and went to second on Danver's single to left. But Hasson struck out and Maskrey hit into a fielder's choice ending the threat.
 
Then in the sixth, Drew Pirritano, who is now hitless in three games after a season-high seven-game hitting streak was ended Wednesday in Game Two vs. Point Park, drew a lead off walk before moving to second on a wild pitch and to third on a groundout by Danver before Hasson grounded out ending the inning.
 
In the second game, Mercyhurst once again struck early scoring three runs in the first two innings including a two-run first. The Lakers then added a run in the fifth.   
 
Clarion had a couple of chances late to score but wasn't able to push a run across.
 
In the fifth, Hasson led off with an infield single and went to second on a single to left by Maskrey. But Ponsoll struck out, Mike Lockhart grounded into a fielder's choice that moved Hasson to third with Maskrey out at second and Joey Lopez grounded out ending the inning.
 
Then in the seventh, Hasson led off with another infield single and went to second on another Maskrey single. But a Ponsoll fielder's choice erased Hasson a third, Lockhart grounded out and Lopez flew out.
Clarion drops to 1-31 overall, 1-17 PSAC West with the losses, while Mercyhurst improves to 26-14 (11-7). The two teams were scheduled to play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Sunday, but that game has now been moved to 1 p.m. Monday.