The Golden Eagles baseball team dropped a pair of wild games, 14-10 and 10-9, against Clark State on Wednesday afternoon at Fairfield Park in Springfield, Ohio.
In the opener, the Eagles fell behind early and trailed 8-1 after three innings. They made a charge in the top half of the fifth inning, scoring six runs with Charlie Drumm, Mason Eicher, Owen Nunnally and Bret Clements all smacking RBIs to draw KSU Tusc to within 8-7.
Clark State however, plated five runs in the bottom of the inning to widen the lead to 11-7 with the big blow coming from a homerun.
The Golden Eagles tallied three more runs in the top of the sixth, but CSCC added three more runs in the bottom of the frame to lead 14-10. KSU went quietly in the seventh and despite the loss, did collect 11 hits in the high-scoring affair.
Drumm, Clements and Jacob Bialecki all managed multiple hits. Drumm went 3-for-4 at the plate with two singles and a triple, while Clements had a double and a single and Bialecki had two singles.
In the nightcap, the Eagles chased the Clark State starting pitcher in the first inning as they rapped out four hits and scored four runs to take a 4-0 lead.
The KSU Tusc lead was 5-1 after two and one-half innings, until the homestanding Golden Eagles added a run on a sacrifice fly after a runner advanced from first to third on a wild pitch. After 3 complete innings the score stood at 5-2.
The Golden Eagles added two more runs and increased their advantage to lead to 7-2 after 4 innings as they ripped Clark State pitching for 10 hits.
Not to be denied, the hosts scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th as nine batters stepped to the plate. A pop fly to right field dropped in and took a 90 degree bounce away from the KSU Tusc fielder which allowed two runs to score with two outs, after a run had already scored on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch. Clark State left the bases loaded as Branyan Wade retired the final batter on a called strike three and KSU Tusc held a 7-5 lead after 5 innings.
In the bottom of sixth inning, a Clark State triple scored a run with two outs to cut the lead to one, 7-6. A sharp single over the infield scored that runner to tie the game at 7-7.
Sebastian Hanlin singled to left with one out in the visting half of the seventh and Charlie Drumm worked the Clark State pitcher to 3-1 count and walked to put Golden Eagles at first and second.
Bret Clements then doubled to centerfield to bring home Hanlin and Drumm from all the way from first to chase the CSCC pitcher, as the Eagles took a 9-7 lead with one out.
Clements moved to third on an infield single by Mason Eicher. Owen Poland grounded out third to first and Eicher moved to second with two outs as Clements held at third. A flyout ended the threat and stranded two Golden Eagles in scoring position.
In the home half of the seventh, the first two Clark State batters earned free passes. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, before a two-run single to center tied the game 9-9 with one out. Another walk put runners at first and second and an errant throw to first moved the runner on second over to third.
The runner at first base stole second to take away a force play at second and possible double play, but a subsequent walk loaded the bases. With a full count of 3-2 on what would be the final batter of the afternoon, a walk sealed the Golden Eagles fate as the winning run was forced home in 10-9 walk-off loss.
Clements led KSU Tusc hitters going 3/4 with three singles, while Bialecki had two singles and three RBIs. Eicher, Poland and Nicholas Leonard all contributed two hits apiece. The Golden Eagles out-hit Clark State 15-8 despite losing the game.
Mason Eicher steals second on a high throw. (Photo by Jim Cummings)