CLARION, Pa. --- The Golden Eagle baseball team got the better end of a pitchers duel on Monday afternoon, winning their home opener against Penn State – Greater Allegheny by a 2-0 score at the Memorial Stadium Baseball Field. Clarion has now won three straight games heading into conference play this weekend.
Griffin Snyder was nearly untouchable in his six innings of work, striking out 10 Nittany Lions while allowing just four total baserunners – two on hits, and two on walks. Snyder did not allow a baserunner at all until the top of the fourth inning, when he conceded a walk to Dustin Strom. His first hit allowed did not come until the sixth inning, when Zach Wilson wrapped a line drive to short left field.
Snyder's effort led an effective nine-inning showing for the Golden Eagles, who shut out an opponent for the first time this year.
Isaac Schleich threw two innings of scoreless relief to serve as the bridge for
Max Engel, who threw a shutout ninth for his first save of the season. Clarion conceded only four hits on the day.
The Nittany Lions were effective on the mound as well, but Clarion scratched across two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning against starter Giovanni Scott for the only runs of the game. With runners on first and second and just one out,
Mason Kepler pulled a hard ground ball through the hole between shortstop and third base for an RBI single that scored
Kasey Shughart.
The Golden Eagles loaded the bases after
Brett Pitzer's infield single, setting up
Alfredo Hurtado for an RBI attempt with two outs. He drove in the run in the most painful way possible, taking a pitch on the backside to bring
Michael Proios in from third.
Those would be the only two runs either side would concede for the entire game. The two teams struck out a combined 29 times, with Clarion pitchers recording 15 punchouts and Nittany Lion hurlers striking out 14 themselves. The basepaths were relatively clean with only three total walks as well, though Penn State – Greater Allegheny did commit two errors.
Brett Pitzer was the only player for either team to record multiple hits, going 2-for-3 at the dish.
