SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Closing out the back end of a four game road series against PSAC West rival Slippery Rock, the Clarion baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader, losing 2-1 in the first game and 13-2 in the nightcap. The pair of losses moves the Golden Eagles to 2-7 on the year overall, while The Rock improves to 8-2 on the year. 

A reoccurring theme for the blue and gold all season long has been their ability to score early and today was no different as Clarion jumped out to the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Will Constantin led the inning off with a walk and a pair of infield grounders moved Constantin into scoring position. 

With a runner on third Nick Fugh double to deep center field scoring Constantin with ease. giving Clarion the early lead. 

With the score stuck at 1-0 for the next few innings, it was Slippery Rock who was able to generate offense at the plate, scoring one run in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 1-1. 

Clarion threatened to score multiple times but The Rock defense was to strong. Slippery Rock plated one more run in the bottom of the fifth after a double scored Nick Reynosa who singled to lead off the inning pushing their lead to 2-1.

Unable to generate baserunners, Clarion only saw two more runners touch the basepaths in the last two innings falling by a final score of 2-1. 

Fugh paced the Clarion attack going 1 for 3 for the game, picking up the Golden Eagle's lone RBI. Kasey Shughart found success at the plate going a perfect 2 for 2 in the game. 

Jeremy Frazier got the start on the mound, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out five Slippery Rock batters.

Game two saw the Slippery Rock offense explode for 13 runs on 19 hits as Clarion fell by a final score of 13-2. 

Runs came early and often for The Rock as the plated five runs in the first inning and another five runs in the second, quickly putting the game out of reach .

Slippery Rock scored another run in the fourth and two more runs in the sixth inning putting Clarion in a position to score alot of runs in a little time. 

Clarion plated runs in the top of the second and third innings bur would not gain any traction. 

In the second inning, a Matt Privette single to left scored Scott McManamon who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning making the score 5-1.

In the third Constantin led the inning off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch putting one runner in scoring position for the Blue and Gold. 


After three consecutive walks from Fugh, Daren Byers and Shughart, Constantin was able to cross the plate making the score 10-2 but that's all the closer Clarion would get. 

Bryan Layton got the start in game two, tossing just 1.0 inning giving up five earned runs on six hits. 

Clarion will look to bounce back on Friday, March 26th when they head to Johnstown to take on Pitt-Johnstown in double header action at Point Stadium. First pitch is slated for 1 pm.