Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Despite solid starts from Brett Whitman and Kane McCall, the Clarion University baseball team dropped a PSAC West doubleheader at Pitt-Johnstown Friday falling by scores of 4-2 and 1-0.
 
In the opener, Whitman was solid going five innings and allowing four runs, all earned, on seven hits while striking out one.
 
McCall followed with another gem, his second in a row and his third on the season, allowing one run on four hits and a walk in six innings of work. On the season, the freshman has now pitched in four games with three starts, and has a 1.80 ERA while allowing just 13 hits in 25 innings of work with opponents batting .157 against him.
 
But while Clarion's pitching was again good enough to win, the Golden Eagles offense struggled managing the two runs and 12 hits in two games.
 
Nick Maskrey was 3-for-3 with three singles in Game One, while Joey Lopez was 2-for-3 in Game Two and 3-for-4 on the day with an RBI, while Jordan Mesoraco was 1-for-3 in both games including a double in the nightcap.
 
In the opener, Clarion (3-11 overall, 1-5 PSAC West) grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second inning thanks to two-out RBI singles by Lopez and Joe Holmberg that scored Derek Danver and Mitch Holmberg respectively.
 
But Pitt-Johnstown (8-13, 3-3) rallied with three runs after two outs in the bottom of the fifth and then tacked on one in the sixth.
 
In the fifth, Matt McGhee started the rally with a two-out triple and scored on a single by Brett Marabito who scored on a single by Ernesto Rizzitano. Matt McMillen then stole home to give the Mountain Cats the lead.
 
Then in the sixth, Jake Warner led off with a single and scored on a single by Nate Negri.
 
John Fees got the win for UPJ going six innings and allowing two runs, both earned, on seven hits and a walk while striking out four. Ryan Socol picked up the save retiring Clarion in order in the seventh. Marabito paced a nine-hit attack for the Mountain Cats with a pair of singles.
 
The second game saw McCall lock horns with Derek Younker in an old-fashion pitching dual that Younker prevailed in getting a five-hit shutout with one strike out in seven innings of work.
 
The only blemish against McCall came in the second inning when Jake Stern led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a ground out by Dillon Boyer and scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt McGhee.
 
Clarion had its chances including a golden opportunity in the first when Mesoraco hit a one-out double, but Maskrey couldn't move him up, grounding out to third, and then Mesoraco took third on a wild pitch before Tyler Falk grounded out to end the inning.
 
Then in the third, Lopez led off with a single by was erased at second on a bunt attempt by Joe Holmberg, who went to second when Drew Pirritano reached on an error. But Mesoraco hit into a fielder's choice, and Maskrey flew out ending the inning.
 
Clarion also got a one-out single in the fourth by Danver, who was erased on an inning-ending double play hit into by Mike Lockhart, and the Golden Eagles got a one-out single in the seventh from Lockhart, but Mitch Holmberg flew out and Lopez hit into a game-ending fielder's choice.
 
The Golden Eagles were scheduled to return to action Saturday against Pitt-Johnstown in Johnstown, but that doubleheader, in which Clarion will be the home team for both games, was postponed to Sunday also in Johnstown because of impending bad weather slated for the Johnstown area Saturday.