Slippery Rock Sweeps Friday Twin Bill from Clarion U.

BUTLER, Pa. – The Clarion baseball team opened a four-game weekend series with Slippery Rock on Friday, falling by scores of 5-2 and 13-0 to The Rock at Kelly Automotive Park.

(Photo of Dillon Wolbert. Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)

The Golden Eagles (6-15, 1-5 PSAC West) will look for revenge against Slippery Rock on Monday, April 2 when they host them in the same ballpark.

Chandler Palyas went a combined 3-for-5 at the dish with two runs scored, while Dillon Wolbert went 2-of-3 in the first game. Brady Andrews enjoyed a multi-hit performance in Game 2 as well, going 2-of-3.

Jeremy Frazier (1-4) fell to Slippery Rock’s Alex Pantuso in the early game, allowing five runs – four earned – in 5.0 innings pitched. The game was tight through four innings, with both starting pitchers limiting the opposition to one run in that time. Slippery Rock took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single in the second inning, and Clarion responded when Palyas scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fourth inning.

The Rock went off for four runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 5-1 lead, but Wolbert pulled his team back in the next half-inning with an RBI single to score Palyas. Wyatt Daugherty got the save in the seventh inning, silencing the Clarion bats for the win.

In Game 2, Slippery Rock jumped out to a 3-0 lead but starter Nate Torbich (1-3) settled down from there, limiting the Rock and keeping the game from getting out of hand for the next few innings. Clarion’s best scoring opportunity came in the top of the fourth inning when Palyas reached on a single and eventually stole third with one out. They couldn’t bring him across, however, as Wolbert lined a ball directly at the shortstop and Dustin Daihl flew out to center to end the threat. The Rock went off for 10 runs in the fifth inning, putting the game out of reach.