GREENSBURG, Pa. – The Clarion baseball team wrapped it’s 2018 season with a rare tripleheader at Seton Hill on Saturday, falling in a trio of games to the Griffins to close the season.
(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)
The Golden Eagles lost the first game 6-3, the second 6-2, and the third 8-4 to finish the season 11-35 overall, 4-24 in the PSAC West division.
Game 1
The Golden Eagles racked up three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull within one run, but the Griffins got a two-run home run in the top of the fifth innings to hold on for a 6-3 victory in the opening game of the tripleheader.
The Griffins scored on a Ryan Grieco sacrifice fly in the first inning and added three more runs in the third to go ahead by a 4-0 score. Things started to unravel for the Griffins in the fourth, starting with a bases-loaded walk to Austin Blauser that brought Bryce Jackson home. Will Constantin followed with a two-RBI single, scoring Max Mari and Dillion Wolbert to make it 4-3. Seton Hill followed with a two-run home run in the fifth, setting the final deficit.
Branden Schlick (1-4) took the loss in the early game, allowing all six runs in the contest. Tiler Sadowski came in for 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, with Tom McCloskey recording Clarion’s final out.
Game 2
Clarion dropped the second game despite a minor rally in the middle innings, falling 6-2 in the second contest with Seton Hill.
The Griffins took a 5-0 lead after the bottom of the second inning on a two-run single by Tom McCarthy with the bases loaded. Things started to happen in the third when Matt Privette led off with a single and stole second to reach scoring position. He advanced to third on a Will Constantin groundout and scored when Chandler Palyas lined a single up the middle to make it 5-1. Brady Andrews laid down a bunt in the next at-bat, scoring Nick Fugh and making it 5-2. The Griffins allowed no runs the rest of the way in the 6-2 victory.
Jeremy Frazier (3-7) threw a complete game, allowing six runs on nine hits. He struck out four and walked none.
Game 3
The Golden Eagles cut Seton Hill’s lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning and pulled ahead 4-3 in the sixth, but the Griffins responded with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-4 win over Clarion.
Garett Goslaw drove in the first run of the game for Clarion, ripping a double to right center field to score Dan Janoson and make it 3-1. He came across the plate for the Golden Eagles’ second tally, taking off on a wild pitch to cut it to a one-run game. Devin Beverly pulled Clarion even with a ground-rule double in the top of the sixth inning, scoring Privette to make it 3-3, and Mari scored on an error to put Clarion ahead 4-3.
McCarthy tied the score with another home run in the bottom of the inning, and Ryan Wardropper hit a grand slam off Kyle Thompson (0-4) later in the frame to set the final deficit at 8-4.
