CARY, NC - Returning south for the fourth weekend in a row with their toughest test to date playing five games in three days, the Clarion baseball team opened up their weekend schedule in Cary, North Carolina at the USA Baseball Complex falling to Fairmont State in the early game 9-7 and beating New Haven 3-2.
 
In the first game Clarion started hot, scoring two runs in the early part of the game before the Falcons could get on the board. The Blue and Gold struck early in the first inning scoring one run on an Alex Ficorilli single that scored Nick Fugh who doubled to start the afternoon for Clarion.
 
The Golden Eagle offense would strike again in the bottom of the third inning, this time off the bat of catcher Thomas Lavin his second of the young season, putting Clarion up two runs.
 
Fairmont State struck back in the top half of the fourth inning with a run of their own cutting the Clarion lead in half after a single and double made the score 2-1.
 
Matt Privette scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the fourth putting Clarion back in a commanding 3-1 after starting the inning off with a single, but the Falcons answered the call again scoring one more run hanging around in striking distance.
 
Clarion answered with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on three hits and one error and were cruising with a 5-2 lead.
 
The Falcons soared for five runs on four hits in the top of the eighth taking the lead from Clarion at 7-5 and two runs on two hits and an error in the top of the ninth making it 9-5, but the Golden Eagles wouldn't go away without a fight.
 
Clarion scored two runs on three hits in the bottom of the ninth but a flyout ended the scoring and the game for the Blue and Gold.
 
In game two Clarion was locked in a low scoring affair against New Haven holding off the Chargers in the late innings 3-2.
 
Like most games this season Clarion was the first team to strike taking an early 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
 
The Golden Eagles scored one run in the third inning, courtesy of a Thomas Lavin sac fly that scored Chandler Palyas who tripled to lead off the inning. Clarion picked up two runs in the top of the fourth thanks to a Matt Privette double that scored Brian Casper who doubled to lead off the inning and one more run when Cole Shaffer also doubled to score Privette.
 
From that point on it was a good old fashioned pitchers dual as both teams went up and down their lineup until the bottom of the sixth when New Haven was able to squeeze one run across on a single and triple, jump starting the Charger offense.
 
New Haven scored one more run in the bottom of the eighth after a double and an error made the score 3-2 but that's all the closer New Haven would get.
 
Bryce Grenet got the win for Clarion, tossing eight innings allowing seven hits and just two runs, while striking out nine New Haven batters. Josh Kirwin picked up his first save of the season, tossing one inning, striking out one batter and surrendering one hit.
 
Privette and Palyas paced the Clarion offense each going 2 for 4 as Privette picked up a RBI.
 
The win and loss moves the Golden Eagles to 2-10 on the early season. Clarion will try to keep winning in their sight as they play two more games tomorrow, taking on Molly at 9:30 am and Walsh to close out the afternoon at 1:30 pm.