CLARION, Pa. — Despite a strong outing by pitcher Sean White, the Clarion University baseball team dropped a pair of games Monday afternoon vs. Slippery Rock at Memorial Field.
The Golden Eagles were shut out in game one 6-0 before losing the second game 4-2.
In game one, Josh Ponsoll, who went 1-for-2 with a walk, had the lone hit for Clarion (8-26 overall,5-19 PSAC West). He led off the bottom of the first inning with a single to left field.
Slippery Rock (25-15, 15-10) put up a four spot in the second inning for a 4-0 lead. They added a run each in the sixth and seventh innings for the 6-0 win.
Tanner Fitting gave up six runs, 12 hits, and one walk as he took the loss for the Golden Eagles while pitching all seven frames.
Anthony Naso pitched a complete game one-hitter for Slippery Rock recording the win while striking out four.
In game two, White pitched well for Clarion despite getting the loss as he gave up four runs (three earned) while going the distance. He gave up nine hits and two walks while striking out five Slippery Rock batters.
Slippery Rock got on the board with a run in the top of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. With one out, Kevin Jovanovich scored an unearned run on an error by Clarion second baseman Derek Danver.
They added to their lead with a pair of runs in the fourth to make it 3-0. Clarion limited damage though when Kyle Vozar was thrown out at home plate on a relay throw from Danver.
Clarion continued to trail 3-0 heading into the sixth when it scored a pair of runs to make it 3-2.
Tyler Falk, who went 2-for-3 in game two, hit a one-out single and then advanced to third base on a Mike Lockhart double. Danver followed with a single to right and then Mitch Holmberg
hustled out a potential double play ball for a fielder’s choice which scored Lockhart.
But in the seventh, Alex Bell hit a two-out RBI single for Slippery Rock to the right-center gap to make it 4-2 and held on for the victory.
Preston Falascino pitched 5.1 innings and got the win for Slippery Rock. John Kovalik got the save as he pitched 1.2 innings in relief while giving up one hit and escaping the jam in the sixth inning.
Lockhart joined Falk while also having two hits in the nightcap. He went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored for Clarion. Danver was 1-for-3 with an RBI while Joe Holmberg and Nate Bonfardine
had the two other hits for Clarion, both singles.
