CLARION, Pa. - Returning home to Memorial Stadium to take on nationally ranked Seton Hill for a doubleheader, the Clarion baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to the Griffins by scores of 15-3 and 18-0 Wednesday afternoon.
The pair of losses moves the Golden Eagles to 7-18 overall and 5-11 in the PSAC West this season, while the Griffins improve to an impressive 23-2 overall and 15-2 in PSAC West play.
As soon as the first pitch was thrown, it was all Seton Hill as the Griffins bats exploded for a combined 33 runs on 28 total hits in both games as the Clarion attack could never gain traction.
Seton Hill took an early lead in game one scoring one run in th etop of the first inning thanks to a homerrun to left center field making the score 1-0.
Clarion struck for two runs in the bottom of the second inning, momentarily shifting the momentum of the game and taking the lead 2-1.
After a pair of walks from
Nate Petke and
Lenny Piccini, a
Kasey Shughart bunt that caused problems for the Griffin defense allowed Petke to score the first run for the Golden Eagles.
Scott McManamon followed that up with a single through the right side that scored Piccini as Clarion took a 2-1 lead heading into the next frame.
Heading into the top of the third Seton Hill exploded for five runs on just two hits and five Golden Eagle errors as the Griffins regained a commanding 6-2 lead.
Through the next two innings Seton Hill plated three more runs on four hits stretching their lead to 9-2 and grabbing all the momentum in the ballpark. The Griffins added two runs in the top of the sixth and four runs in the top of the seventh as the picked up 15 total runs in game one.
Clarion plated one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning after a Shugart single scored Piccini who reached on an error one batter earlier.
Jeremy Frazier got the nod in game one for head coach
Doc Neiman, tossing 2.1 innings of baseball, allowing five runs on three hits while striking out one batter.
McManamon and Shugart paced the Clarion offense in game one, both adding two hits in three at bats, as Shughart added two RBIs in the game and McManamon added one.
In game two Seton Hill had the Golden Eagles number from the start, scoring runs in every inning but the third.
Seton hill scored three runs in the first, courtesy of a groundout and a two run homer as they took a commanding 3-0 lead early on.
Seton Hill added two more runs in the second inning before exploding for five runs in the fourth inning, stretching their lead to 10-0 and ultimately putting the game out of reach.
Adding one run in the fifth, four runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh inning, the Griffins continued to pile on as the batters of Seton Hill showed why they are nationally ranked in the top ten.
Although the Golden Eagles were unable to push a run across in game two, Clarion stranded a total of three base runners throughout the game.
Joe Rossi started on the mound in game two, pitching 3.0 innings, giving up five runs on five hits while striking out one Griffin batter.
A series that saw Clarion send nine pitchers to the mound,
Daren Byers made his first collegiate appearance on the mound striking out three batters in one inning of work.
Thomas Lavin went 1 for 2 at the plate in game two for the Golden Eagles.
Clarion will look to bounce back quickly as they host the IUP Crimson Hawks for a doubleheader on April 30 at Memorial Stadium. First pitch is slated for 1 pm.
