BUTLER, Pa. - The Golden Eagle baseball team traveled south to Butler, Pa. to close out games three and four of a four game series against the Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats Sunday afternoon, splitting the series, taking game one by a final score of 5-4 and dropping game two by a deficit of 8-2. Clarion (6-17) will look to add to the win column on Tuesday when they travel to Dubois, Pa. to take on Penn State Dubois in a single nine inning non conference matchup. 

Game 1: Clarion 5, UPJ 4
Recap: Clarion scored five runs on nine hits and two Mountain Cat errors, scoring multiple runs in the second and third innings to stay In the game with UPJ. Clarion struck first scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take the early lead, 2-0. 

Lenny Piccini started the inning off with an infield single and Matt Privette followed that up with a single of his own to left center field, putting runners on first and second for Clarion with no outs in the inning. After both runners advanced to the next base after a wild pitch, Nate Petke flied out to right field allowing Piccini to score from third to break the 0-0 tie. Kasey Shughart singled to left field driving in Privette as Clarion stretched the lead to 2-0. early on. 

In the top of the third inning, Pitt-Johnstown answered with four runs on four hits to take the lead momentarily but Clarion answered with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom fo the third inning to tie the game at 4-4. 

Caden Contant started teh inning off with a single and advanced to second after a Scott McManamon single in the very next at bat. With two runners on base for Clarion, Daren Byers singled to third base, legging out a perfect bunt to load the bases for the Golden Eagles with no outs. 

Dan Fox singled to center field driving in two runs, tying the game at 4-4 but as Clarion threatened to take the lead, the Blue and Gold stranded two base runners as the game remained deadlocked at 4 all. 

The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth inning when Clarion was able to push the go ahead run across the plate and never look back. 

After a Fox walk, Piccini was hit by a pitch to put two runners on the bases for Clarion. Privette bunted both runners over and Griffin Snyder flied out to center field to score Fox as Clarion took the 5-4 lead. 

UPJ remained without a hit in the next two innings as Clarion grabbed the victory 5-4 in game number three. 

Logan Schlegel got the start for Clarion, tossing 6.0 innings of action, surrendering four runs on five hits, while striking out five batters. Anthony Tucci sealed the deal for Clarion, tossing 1.0 innings with one strikeout and no hits. 

Scott McManamon picked up multiple hits for Clarion going 2 for 3 at the plate with a pair of singles. 

Game 2: UPJ 8, Clarion 2
Recap: The Mountain Cats used the long ball to build their lead, picking up eight runs on 13 hits and two Clarion errors. Both teams traded runs early as UPJ struck first in the top of the second inning, taking a quick 1-0 advantage. Clarion answered in the bottom half of the frame after a Mason Kepler fielder's choice scored Byers from third who singled earlier in the inning. 

Clarion took the lead momentarily in the bottom of the third inning after Byers singled to left center field, scoring McManamon as Clarion took the 2-1 advantage. UPJ tied the game in the top of the fourth inning after a Joey Maun homerun to left center field and took the lead for good in the top of the fifth inning after four runs on a homerun and a pair of singles. 

UPJ added to their lead in the top of the seventh inning when a single to right field scored two runs as teh Mountain Cats extended the lead to 8-2. 

Bryan Layton took the loss on the mound for Clarion, throwing 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits while striking out four.  
  Read Full Article