DUBOIS, Pa. — The Golden Eagles (12-13, 5-4 PSAC) had a mixed day against Pitt-Johnstown (12-19, 3-7 PSAC) at Stern Family Field on Friday, starting with a dominant 13-4 victory in the first game, followed by a heartbreaking 8-6 loss in the second.
Game 1: Clarion 13, Pitt-Johnstown 4
In the opener, the Golden Eagles soared with a massive seven-run sixth inning that fueled their triumph. The action kicked off in the first inning when
Randy Carlo launched a homer, tying the program's single-season record with his 11th bomb of the season, bringing
Tyson Gill home and giving Clarion a quick 2-0 lead. In the second inning, the Golden Eagles capitalized on a Mountain Cats error, allowing
Jacob Patterson to score, followed by
Derek Smail crossing the plate on Zach Colangelo's fielder's choice, stretching the lead to 4-0 after two innings.
UPJ fought back in the third, scoring four runs highlighted by Karson Reffner's three-run shot, but Clarion maintained their edge with
Elvin Robles scoring on a fielder's choice, making it 5-4 after three. Clarion padded their lead in the fourth with a sacrifice fly by Robles, sending Colangelo home for a 6-4 advantage. Kelly escaped a jam in the top of the fifth, inducing a ground ball double play to strand Mountain Cats on the basepaths.
Then came the explosive sixth inning, where the Golden Eagles piled on seven runs, with Colangelo breaking things open by clearing the bases with a three-run double to deep center field, giving his team a commanding 13-4 advantage.
Zach Kelly earned the win for Clarion, allowing four earned runs across five innings while fanning six and walking three. Colangelo shone brightly, driving in four runs. Carlo displayed power at the plate with a home run and two RBIs, scoring twice, while Smail contributed with three hits and an RBI.
Game 2: Pitt-Johnstown 8, Clarion 6
In the second game, the Golden Eagles held a 6-2 lead going into the last inning, but UPJ staged a dramatic six-run rally in the seventh to clinch the game.
Tyson Gill got things rolling for Clarion in the first inning with a walk and advancing to second on a wild pitch.
Ethan Giangiulio seized the moment with a two-run homer, bringing in Gill and putting Clarion up 2-0 after one inning.
UPJ began chipping away in the fourth when Calvin Iseminger singled to right, driving in Karson Reffner to narrow the score to 2-1 in favor of Clarion. The Golden Eagles stretched their lead in the fifth when Carlo and Giangiulio hit back-to-back singles, setting up Smail's RBI single to score Carlo.
Jacob Patterson then doubled to left, plating two more runs and extending Clarion's lead to 5-1 after five.
The sixth inning saw both teams exchange blows, with Jacob Cramer going deep for UPJ while Gill crossed the plate for the Golden Eagles thanks to Carlo's sacrifice fly, keeping Clarion ahead at 6-2. However, UPJ turned the tide in the seventh with Jared Dowey's sacrifice fly and Iseminger's RBI double, culminating with Cramer's grand slam that pushed UPJ ahead 8-6. Clarion couldn't muster a comeback in their final half inning.
Aiden Hartle put forth a strong effort for the Golden Eagles, going 5.1 innings with just one earned run on five hits, striking out four. Giangiulio led the offense with two hits, including a homer, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Carlo added two hits and an RBI, while Patterson chipped in with a double and two RBIs. Gill showcased his hustle with three walks, two runs scored, and two stolen bases.
