GLENVILLE, WV - Heading into day two of the PSAC / Mountain East Challenge the Clarion baseball team faced off against Wheeling University for a single nine inning contest at the Sue Morris Sports Complex in Glenville, West Virginia. The Golden Eagles fell by a final score of 10-7 after being out hit by the Cardinals 11 to 8.
 
Like clockwork, Clarion struck early in the top of the first scoring one run on two hits. Chandler Palyas doubled to put himself into scoring position early and later scored on a Dan Fox single a few batters later.
 
Although striking early the Golden Eagles stranded three base runners in the opening frame, a pattern that would see Clarion stranding a total of 11 base runners all game long.
 
Leading 1-0 until the bottom of the second, the Golden Eagles seen the lead disappear on a six hit and seven run explosion, taking command 7-1 in the early innings.
 
Clarion answered with a run of their own in the top of the third. Palyas opened the inning with a double and Thomas Lavin smacked a double of his own scoring Palyas from second making the score 7-2. The Blue and Gold scored one more run when Lavin scored on a wild pitch pulling Clarion back within four.
 
Holding the Cardinal offense in check Clarion scored one more run in the top of the fourth after Tim Irons homered to deep right field putting Clarion within striking distance down three.
 
Wheeling answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth pushing the lead 9-5 and one more run in the bottom of the seventh giving the Cardinals a commanding 10-4 lead.
 
The Golden Eagles wouldn't go away quietly though, scoring three runs in the top of the eighth threatening the Cardinal lead. Will Constantin lead off with a walk and Irons followed that up with a double. With runners at second and third base Cole Shaffer walked to load the bases and Matt Privette was able to plate Constantin with a ground out.
 
Irons crossed the plate a few pitches later on a wild pitch putting Clarion down four. After a Palyas ground out that scored Shaffer, Clarion was down just 10-7.
Clarion threatened with runners on second and first in the top of the ninth but was unable to push any runs across as the Cardinals grabbed the win 10-7.
 
Clarion will return to action tomorrow in the last day of the PSAC / Mountain East Challenge when they take on host school Glenville State at 1 pm.