Senior outfielder and pitcher Erik Kempton eyes up the incoming pitch in a doubleheader against Mercyhurst on Saturday. (Neal Henry / The Clarion Call)

Clarion ended its 2010 campaign with an upsetting weekend series against the Mercyhurst Lakers. On Friday the Golden Eagles traveled to Merycyhurst for the first of four games to come.

The year long struggles for the Golden Eagles continued as they dropped game one of the doubleheader by a score of 17-3.

Freshman pitcher Luke Prazenica received the loss (1-3). Prazenica went only three innings, allowing eight runs (six earned) on six hits, while striking out two and walking two.

Clarion’s offense was never able to get started as they got nine hits but only three runs. Leading the offense was Tom Briley (2-4) and Erik Kempton (2-4) who were the only hitters to get multiple hits. Briley also had two of the RBIs while Kempton recorded the other one.

Clarion was hoping to make it more of a game in game two of the doubleheader. Game two was more of a pitcher’s duel, but Clarion still fell by a score of 2-1.

Brandon Slater (0-6) was the tough luck loser as he had a perfect game going into the fifth inning. Slater was not able to get any offensive support as he went six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits, while striking out four and allowing two walks.

Leading the offense was sophomore Ken Morgan (2-3) with the only multi-hit game.

Clarion returned home on Saturday for its regular season and home finale at Memorial field.

None of this mattered again to Mercyhurst as they were able to sweep the Golden Eagles. The Lakers once again stomped all over Clarion in game one with an 11-2 victory.

Gregg Bandzuh took the loss in the game going four innings. Bandzuh also allowed seven runs (four earned) on eleven hits, while striking out one and walking one.

Briley (3-4) led the offense with the only three hit game. Jason Krimsky (2-2) and Chad White (2-3) also recorded multi hit games.

The Golden Eagles best offensive explosion came in game four as they fell by a score of 12-7.

Mercyhurst took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a RBI triple and a wild pitch by Clarion pitcher Eric Panko.

The score stayed the same until the top of the third where Mercyhurst tacked on another run via a sac fly to make it 3-0.

Clarion rallied back in the bottom of the third to tie the score at 3-3. Kempton led off the inning with a walk, followed by a single by Sean Zimmerman. After a groundout that advanced the runners to second and third, Morgan delivered the big blow. With one out and runners on second and third, Morgan blasted his team leading seventh home run of the year to even the score.

Mercyhurst quickly retook the lead in the top of the fourth with a single tally to make it 4-3.

With the game still in reach, the Lakers opened it wide open with a four run fifth inning to increase their lead to 8-3.

Mercyhurst would then all but seal the victory with another four run tally to make it 12-3.

Clarion would try to make a comeback by putting up another three spot on the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out in the inning, junior Nate Weiss singled to start the rally. After a walk and a strikeout, Zimmerman delivered a two run double. With two outs in the inning, Krimsky delivered a RBI single to cut the deficit to 12-6.

It was a little too late as the Golden Eagles were only able to tack on one more run to lose the game 12-7.

Panko took the loss for the Golden Eagles. Panko went five innings allowing eight runs (five earned) on eleven hits, while recording two walks and four strikeouts.

Leading the offense was Briley (2-3) and Zimmerman (2-5) with multi hit games, while the latter also recorded two RBIs. Morgan also recorded three RBIs on his home run.

Clarion finished their season with a record of 6-34 and 1-23 in the PSAC West.