GLENVILLE, W.Va. --- The Golden Eagles earned a doubleheader split against Glenville State on Friday afternoon, beating the Pioneers 6-3 in extra innings in the first game before falling 3-1 in the nightcap.
 
Game 1: Clarion 6, Glenville State 3 (8 inn.)
 
RECAP: A low-scoring pitchers' duel erupted in extra innings as Clarion overcame a blown lead in the bottom of the seventh inning with a go-ahead grand slam by Griffin Snyder. With the score tied at 2-2 heading into the top of the eighth inning, Jack Hurda drew a one-out walk to set something going against pitcher William Chu. Chu struck out Brody Hinkle for the second out but Tyson Gill extended the inning by drawing a walk, and Chu's failed pickoff attempt of Hurda at second base put a pair of runners in scoring position.
 
Caden Contant drew a walk from Chu in the next plate appearance, loading the bases for the Golden Eagles without a single hit in the process. Snyder provided that hit, drilling a pitch off Ty Walton for a grand slam down the left field line and giving the Golden Eagles a 6-2 advantage. David DuBray entered the game and surrendered one run in the bottom of the eighth inning, but he escaped a bases-loaded jam by inducing a groundout from Gavin Blair to clinch the win.
 
Reilly Shafer took the hill for the first time this season, with the Golden Eagle senior throwing seven innings of two-run ball against the Pioneers. He whiffed eight batters while walking none in earning his first win of the year and started the game with five shutout innings.
 
Clarion took the lead in the fourth inning on a two-run home run from Contant. Tyson Gill drew a two-out walk after Jack Hurda was erased on a ground ball double play and Contant did the rest, going the opposite way over the fence in right center to make it 2-0. The Pioneers cut the lead in half after loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Shafer limited them to just a sacrifice fly from Zach Laurie. He induced Jayden Helmi into a harmless popup to end the threat. The Pioneers did eventually tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Zac Bayor hitting a leadoff solo home run. Shafer retired the next three batters.
 
Game 2: Glenville State 3, Clarion 1
 
RECAP: The second game was another breezy affair as both sides combined for just nine total hits. Once again the starting pitchers were able to keep the action moving at a brisk pace, with Carter Barrett holding the Pioneers to just one hit through five innings of one-run ball. The only blemish on his record came in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Pioneers loaded the bases after a hit and two walks. Bayor drew a free pass with two outs and the bases full of Pioneers, tying the game at 1-1.
 
Similarly, Glenville State's Nathan Farmer limited the Golden Eagles, giving up three hits and striking out seven in five innings. Clarion's lone run of the game came in the second inning, when Hinkle led off the frame with an infield single. Gill successfully sacrificed him to second with a bunt, and a Snyder groundout moved him over to third with two outs. A wild pitch to Caden Contant allowed Hinkle to cross home plate and give Clarion a 1-0 lead.
 
The Golden Eagles' best chance to build on that lead came in the sixth inning. Cole Yeager and Ethan Giangiulio had back-to-back singles to lead off the inning and Randy Carlo bunted them ahead into scoring position. Hurda hit a grounder to the shortstop but Yeager was thrown out at home attempting to steal, and pitcher Trent Taylor escaped a bases-loaded jam by retiring Gill for the final out. The Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two-run blast from Colby Guy, and they held on to the lead for the win.
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