WASHINGTON, Pa. – Heading down interstate 79 for one of their toughest tests to date, playing two nine inning games, one against a top 10 nationally ranked team, the Clarion baseball team split their road series falling to Cal U in the early game 17-5 and beating #10 Millersville 9-2.
 
The loss and win move the Golden Eagles to 1-4 overall and 0-0 in the PSAC West, while Cal U improves to 4-3 overall and Millersville falls to 3-1 on year.
 
The 9-2 victory over the Marauders marks the first win in program history against a top 10 nationally ranked opponent for the blue and gold.
 
A game that featured six freshmen in the starting lineup for head coach Doc Neiman, it was the Vulcans that got off to a hot start, opening a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a pair of singles and a leadoff double from Cal U third basemen Louden Conte.
 
Clarion immediately answered with a pair of runs of their own in the top of the third inning after Lenny Piccini led the inning off with a single up the middle and Ethan Smith followed that up with a double down the left field line.
 
Tyler Meachum grounded out to second but that allowed Piccini to score and give Meachum the first RBI of his career.
 
Kasey Shughart grounded out to third base but Smith scored making the game 3-2 in favor of the Vulcans.
 
Cal U added two runs in the bottom of the third inning and two more runs in bottom of the fourth putting them in a controlling lead of 7-2.
 
Heading into the bottom of the sixth the Vulcans added three more runs, pushing their lead to 10-3 and putting the game almost out of reach.
 
Cal U put the cherry on top in the bottom of the eighth inning when they added seven runs on just two hits, three hit by pitches and two walks making the score an insurmountable 17-2.
 
The blue and gold wouldn't go away without a fight though, rallying in the top of the ninth, scoring three runs on three hits. Alex Ficorilli led the inning off with a double down the left field line and Scott McManamon and Will Constantin followed that up with walks to load the bases.
 
Emerson Abromavage singled through the left side scoring Ficorilli making the score 17-3 and a sac fly to right field from Dan Byers scored McManamon making the score 17-4.
 
After a Piccini double to left that scored Constantin, Jackson Miller closed the door on the Golden Eagle attack at the final score of 17-5.
 
In game two it was Clarion that did all the scoring after the top of the first inning upsetting the #10 Millersville Marauders 9-2.
 
Luke Trainer flied out to center fielder Matt Privette and scored Cole Friese who led the inning off with a single.
 
After a shaky first inning from ace Trevor McGee, Cole Houser walked and scored Bren Taylor who singled earlier in the inning.
 
Clarion answered in the bottom of the first after Ficorilli reached on an error, Thomas Lavin walked and Nick Fugh doubled to score Ficorilli from third making the 2-1. The blue and gold added three more runs thanks to three singles putting them in a commanding 4-2 lead.
 
The game would remain deadlocked at 4-2 until the bottom of the third when three straight singles from the Golden Eagles attack plated two more runs pushing the lead to 6-2 in the early frames.
 
McGee continued to keep the Marauders bombers off balance all night long allowing five of his seven hits throughout the first seven innings.
 
Lavin put the icing on the cake with a deep two run shot, his fourth of the year, in the bottom of the seventh plating Ficorilli who doubled just one batter before making it 8-2 and Privette singled scoring Shughart in the bottom of the eighth pushing the score to its final of 9-2.  
 
Pitcher Trevor McGee went the distance allowing just two runs on seven hits, while fanning eight Marauder batters.
 
Fugh and Constantin helped pace the Clarion attack both going three for four with pairs of RBI's.
 
Shughart led Clarion with three RBI's, while Lavin followed with a pair of his own.
 
The Golden Eagles will return to action on Saturday March 20^th when they head to Slippery Rock to take on The Rock in double header action. First pitch is slated for 1 pm.