Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ERIE, Pa. - The Clarion baseball team traveled north to the heart of Erie to take on the Gannon Golden Knights to conclude a four game stretch against the PSAC West foe. Clarion (10-23) dropped the first game in extra innings by a final score of 5-4 and picked up the victory in the later game by a final score of 5-4. 

The Golden Eagles will look to keep their momentum moving forward as they will play host to Penn State Greater Allegheny for a non-conference matchup on Wednesday, April 20. 

Game 1: Gannon 5, Clarion 4 (8 innings)
Recap: Clarion took the early lead scoring four runs on five hits and two Gannon errors, but it was the Golden Knights who scored two runs in the extra inning to grab the win in walk off fashion. 

Kasey Shughart started the game with a leadoff single and advanced to second after a steal on the next pitch, after Daren Byers was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second base, both runners advanced their respected bases after a wild pitch. 

Caden Contant hit a fly ball to deep center field, scoring Shughart as Clarion held the early 1-0. 

Clarion added to their lead in the top of the third after Matt Privette grounded out to third scoring Griffin Snyder who doubled down the right field line to start the inning as Clarion held the commanding 2-0 lead. 

Gannon answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game 2-2 after three hits and one error allowed the Golden Knights to even the ballgame. 

Gannon took the lead after holding the Golden Eagles at bay in the top of the fifth, using two walks and a wild pitch to score the go ahead run. 

Not allowing the Gannon attack to gain any traction, Clarion scored the tying run in the top of the seventh inning to make the score 3-3. 

Lenny Piccini started the inning with a walk and advanced to second base on a sac bunt. Shughart followed that up with a walk of his own to put two runners on base, and Privette singled to left field to load the bases. Byers drove the tying run in one batter later, after a sac fly to left field allowed Piccini to score. 

With the game tied, Clarion headed to extra innings, scoring one run in the top of the eighth to take the lead. Tim Irons walked to start the inning and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Sam Economy. 

Nate Petke drove a ball deep to right field, allowing Irons to advance to third base as Clarion was just 90 feet away from taking the lead. 

After a throwing error allowed Piccini to reach safely, Irons was able to score as Clarion took the 4-3 lead, but a strikeout ended the inning for the Blue and Gold. 

Heading to the bottom half of the frame, the Golden Knights used three hits and one error to score two runs and win the game after a single allowed runners to circle around the bases and score. 

Privette swung the hot bat for Clarion, going 2 for 4 on the afternoon and one RBI. 

Logan Schlegel got the start for Clarion, tossing 3.0 inning of action, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out one. 

Game 2: Clarion 5, Gannon 4
Recap: Bryan Layton tossed 6.1 innings of baseball , surrendering just four runs on seven hits, while keeping Gannon hitters off balance all day with five strikeouts. 

Reilly Shafer picked up his first save of the year, throwing just 0.2 innings allowing no hits, facing three batters. 

The game was deadlocked at 0-0 until the top of the fifth inning when Clarion scored one run to take the lead, 1-0. Daren Byers launched a homerun over the towering right field fence as Clarion took command 1-0. 

Adding to their lead, Clarion tallied one more run in the fifth inning after a Griffin Snyder sac bunt scored Nate Petke from third base. 

Petke started the inning off with a double to left center field and advanced to third after a Piccini single through the left side. 

Snyder bunted to the pitcher but placed the bunt perfectly as Petke scored from third base. 

In the top of the sixth inning Clarion used three hits to score three runs, stranding two base runners as they grabbed the commanding 5-0 lead. Contant and Irons both drew walks to start the inning, and after an Economy single one run came across to score. 

A Piccini single allowed Economy to score and just one batter later Snyder drove in Piccini to take the commanding lead. 

The Golden Knights refused to fold though, scoring four runs on four hits, using two homeruns to pull back within one run and the ultimate score of 5-4.