Devon Boyles belted a three-run home run, but the Golden Eagles jumped out to a six-run lead in the third inning and held off Pitt-Johnstown for a 7-3 PSAC Western Division win to start a rare tripleheader in Clarion, Saturday morning. The Mountain Cats are 7-16 overall and 0-6 on conference-play.
Clarion took advantage of three singles off Brian Prione and a Mountain Cat error to score two unearned runs in the top of the first, before adding three more in the second, including two more unearned runs, to make it 5-0.
Caden Content's two-out RBI single to right in the top of the third gave the Golden Eagles another run, but Pitt-Johnstown quickly cut the deficit in half on Boyles' long, three-run homer to left in the bottom of the frame.
The Golden Eagles got one of those runs back in the top of the fourth and went on to the 7-3 victory.
Boyles went 2-for-4 with the three-run homer, and
Alex Ebeling singled, doubled and scored a run for Pitt-Johnstown.
Erik Rhodes and
Karson Reffner also added two hits apiece.
Pirone took the loss and fell to 1-3 after allowing seven runs (3 earned) on seven hits over the first five innings. Pirone struck out six and walked two.
Zach Myers fanned two in two scoreless innings in relief.
Clarion is now 13-9 overall and 5-1 in the PSAC West.
After Saturday's tripleheader in Clarion, the Mountain Cats will begin a four-game conference series at nationally-ranked Seton Hill on Friday, before hosting the Griffins for a pair of games at Point Stadium on April 5.
