MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - The Clarion baseball team traveled east to take out PSAC East opponent Millersville Tuesday afternoon, splitting the two game series against the Marauders, taking game one by a final score of 7-4 and dropping game two by a final score of 12-0. Clarion (1-10) will head to Fairmont, West Virginia to take on the Fairmont State Falcons on Saturday, March 12 for a weekend series out of conference matchup. First pitch is slated for 1 pm. 

Game 1: Clarion 7, Millersville 4
Recap: The Golden Eagles used eight hits and two Millersville errors to plate seven runs throughout game number one. Clarion started the game swinging a hot bat, plating two runs in the top of the first inning to put the Marauders on their heels early. 

Tim Irons started the game with a walk and stole second to put an early duck on the pond for the Blue and Gold to start the contest. After Caden Contant drew a walk in the very next at bat, a groundout allowed both runners to advance into scoring position with just one out in the frame. Daren Byers singled through the left side of the infield driving in both baserunners, as Clarion took the early 2-0 advantage. 

Millersville answered with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning, after a lead off single and a homerun from the Marauders three hitter, tying the game at 2-2. 

The game would remain tied until the bottom of the third inning when another Marauder long ball gave the home team the lead 3-2. 

Clarion jumped on Millersville's starter in the top of the fourth inning, striking for four runs on three hits and two Marauder errors as the Blue and Gold clawed back and regained the lead 6-3 halfway through the contest. 

Millersville took a stride at the Clarion lead in the bottom of the fifth inning scoring one run on two hits, but stranded one baserunner as the inning came to a close with Clarion still holding the commanding 6-4 lead. 

Byers singled up the middle in the top of the sixth to add an insurance run for Clarion, driving in Contant who walked just two batters before. 

The Clarion pitching staff slammed the door on any thought of a comeback, not allowing a single hit through the next two innings with Millersville at the plate. 

Bryan Layton picked up the win for Clarion, tossing 5.0 innings, surrendering just four runs on eight hits, while striking out five Marauder sluggers and just two walks. 

Byers paced the Clarion offense, driving in three runs, while going 2 for 4 from the plate.

Game 2: Millersville 12, Clarion 0 
Recap: Millersville scored 12 runs on 10 hits and two Clarion errors, while the Golden Eagles managed to tally just two hits throughout the entirety of game two. Millersville scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to take an early 4-0 lead and added four more runs in the fourth to pull out to an 8-0 lead. 

With the game almost out of reach, Millersville added three more security runs in the fifth to take the commanding 11-0 lead, but to make sure there was no comeback effort for the Golden Eagles plated one more run in the sixth to make the score 12-0. 

Brett Pitzer and Contant each added hits for Clarion, but the Golden Eagle attack could gain no traction, stranding three baserunners for the game. 

Reilly Shafer got the start on the mound for Clarion, tossing 3-1 innings of baseball, allowing seven runs on four hits, while striking out three batters. As a staff Clarion totaled eight strikeouts in game 2. 

  Read Full Article