WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Clarion University baseball team split a PSAC West doubleheader with California (Pa.) at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, Pa., on Friday.
(Photo: Mike Lockhart)
The Golden Eagles won game on 9-4 as sophomore Tyler Falk extended his hitting streak to 15 games going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while in game two Clarion lost 3-2 with Falk’s streak coming to an end after and 0-for-3 performance. Troy Kumar pitched an excellent game in the nightcap giving up just three runs on six hits in six inning of work.
Falk’s 15-game hit streak ties for the longest at Clarion since at least 2000. In 2004, Tony Petulla also had a 15-game hitting streak.
Mike Lockhart had a strong day the plate for the Golden Eagles going a combined 5-for-7 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored.
The split puts Clarion’s record at 8-25 overall and 6-20 in the PSAC West. Cal is now 22-21 overall and 14-12 in the PSAC West. The teams conclude Clarion’s season with a twinbill at Clarion Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
Game One – Clarion 9, California 4
WP – Kane McCall (6.2 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 10 H, 2 BB, 6 K’s)
LP – Justin Taylor (5.0 IP, 9 R, 9 ER, 11 H, 1 BB, 5 K’s)
When they scored
Clarion: 6 in the third, 1 in fifth, 2 in sixth
California: 1 in fifth, 3 in seventh
Key moment in the game
Clarion jumped out to a 6-0 lead with the six-run third that was highlighted by doubles by Josh Ponsoll and Drew Pirritano (Pirritano’s drove in a run), a two-run single by Derek Danver and RBI singles by Tyler Falk – the base hit extended his hitting streak to 15 games – and Mike Lockhart. A run also scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by Ponsoll, who batted twice in the inning as the Golden Eagles sent 11 men to the plate in the frame.
Top Golden Eagle performers
Tyler Falk – Extended hit streak to 15 straight games by going 3-for-4 with three singles, three RBIs and two runs scored
Derek Danver – 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored while extending his own hit streak to nine straight games
Mike Lockhart – 2-for-4 with two RBIs
Joe Holmberg – 2-for-3 with two runs scored in first game back since suffering an injury April 24, 2015
Kyle Armagost – Struck out the only batter he faced in the bottom of the seventh with two on after Cal had cut a 9-1 deficit to 9-4
Drew Pirritano – 1-for-3 with two runs scored, 1 RBI and a double
Josh Ponsoll – 1-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.
Game Two – California 3, Clarion 2
WP – Jack Dennis (7 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 5 K’s)
LP – Troy Kumar (6 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 K’s)
When they scored
Clarion: 1 in the second, 1 in fifth
California: 1 in first, 2 in fifth
Key moment in the game
Cal scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on a one-out, two-run home run down the right-field line by Mike Fennell after Clarion had taken a 2-1 lead with a run in the top of the inning on a Ben Thomas single to center.
Top Golden Eagle performers
Troy Kumar – Pitched well enough to win giving up a season-low three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four in what was the best performance of the senior’s two-year Clarion career.
Mike Lockhart – 3-for-3 with a home run (to left field in the 2nd inning) and an RBI
Austin Mike – 2-for-3 with a run scored
About Falk’s hitting streak
Sophomore Tyler Falk had a 15-game hit streak come to an end in game two Friday. Here are some facts about the hit streak
* Started with a 2-for-4 performance with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in game one of a doubleheader against IUP April 2 at Showers Field in DuBois
* Falk hit .491 (26 of 53) during the streak with four home runs, a double, seven walks and 11 runs scored. His on-base percentage during the streak was .550 and his OPS was a staggering 1.286
* He had nine multiple-hit games during the streak including a pair of three-hit contests and drove in multiple runs on five different occasions during the streak
* The streak tied Tony Petulla (2004) for the longest hit streak at Clarion since 2004. He is one of just 12 Golden Eagles since 2004 to have a hit streak of at least 10 games and the first since teammate Jordan Mesoraco hit in 13 consecutive games in 2013.
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