CLARION, Pa.--- The Golden Eagle baseball team hosted their first true home games of the 2024 campaign at Memorial Stadium, falling in both ends of a doubleheader to California (PA) at Memorial Stadium. Clarion lost the first game by a 2-0 score, and the latter by a score of 4-1.
 
Game 1: California (PA) 2, Clarion 0
 
RECAP: The game started as a pitching duel, with both hurlers allowing their defense to work behind them, and both sides were held scoreless through three innings. California struck first in the top of the fourth inning when Colby Rockacy lined an RBI double into the left-center gap to score Payton Conte. The Vulcans added a second run in the inning on a wild pitch. Those proved to be the only runs in the game for either side.
 
Clarion threatened the lead in the bottom of the sixth after Kasey Shughart hit a single through the middle to put Scotty McManamon in scoring position. The Golden Eagles' aggressiveness on the basepaths hindered their comeback attempt when McManamon was thrown out at third base on a double-steal attempt. Caden Contant grounded out to the shortstop, and Clarion did not again threaten the Vulcans' lead, going 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Other than the two runs in the fourth, the Golden Eagle pitching was up to the task of keeping up with the Vulcans. Starting pitcher Issac Schleich went 3.2 innings on the mound, allowing five hits and two runs while also striking out four batters. Ethan Giangiulio threw 2.1 innings of shutout relief, allowing just one hit and getting the team out of a bases-loaded jam.
 
The Golden Eagles had two hits, with McManamon getting a single in the first at-bat of the game and Shugart in the sixth.
 
Game 2: California (PA) 4, Clarion 1
 
RECAP: Clarion started this game the same way as the first one with a McManamon base hit, but this time they were able to bring him all around the diamond. The senior shortstop led off the inning with a double to the gap in right-center field, and a pair of errors at shortstop led to him coming around to score to make it 1-0. The Vulcans threatened in the next inning with two hits of their own, but Griffin Snyder snared a line drive just before it hit the ground to get the third out.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Golden Eagles put pressure once again on the California defense after a Snyder single. He advanced into scoring position after an error from the catcher on a failed pickoff attempt. Lenny Piccini then hit a laser into left field, but a perfect throw from Ryan Callahan beat Snyder to the plate and ended the inning.
 
Colby Rockacy drove in the go-ahead run in the fourth inning, hitting a double into left field. California then struck again in the fifth inning, after Ryan Callahan scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
 
The best chance for the Golden Eagles to come back came in the bottom of the sixth inning, when they loaded the bases against the Vulcans with two outs. Mason Kepler led off by reaching on an error, and Daren Byers followed up with a single to left field to put two runners on board. Tyson Gill worked a walk to load the bases, but McManamon struck out against Jake Kramer to end the threat. Shughart led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, but nothing came out of it as Snyder grounded into a routine 4-6-3 double play, ending the game.
 
Freshman Logan Hinds started the game for the Golden Eagles, pitching two innings of no-hit ball and striking out two batters. Snyder pitched most of the game after playing second base to start the game, pitching four innings, allowing three runs and striking out two.
 
Clarion had more success hitting the ball in this game, with six hits, with Piccini going 2-for-3 with a couple of singles. Snyder added an RBI, while Sam Felner also added a single in the bottom of the second.
 
The Golden Eagle Baseball team retakes the diamond Friday afternoon when they travel to Indiana for a doubleheader against the Crimson Hawks. Read Full Article