CLARION, Pennsylvania -- The Lake Erie baseball team competed in a three-game series on the road against the Clarion University Golden Eagles. The Storm took two games on the weekend and now have won back-to-back series for the first time since 2019. Lake Erie improves to 4-5 on the year and have a 4-1 record in their last two series.

GAME 1
LAKE ERIE - 2
CLARION - 1

In game one, Israel Epinosa kicked things off with a lead-off single in the top of the first and Mitchel Szymczak kept things rolling by forcing a walk. Two batters later, Garrett Espinosa knocked a single to left field to load the bases. Mannuk Cadiz then got the Storm on the board with a big two out double to right field which scored two.

On the mound, it was all Dominic Poltrone. He pitched a seven-inning complete game and only allowed two hits and one run while striking out eight batters.

The Golden Eagles got their lone run in the bottom of the 6th on a solo home run to right center but it was not enough to beat the Storm who would take game one, 2-1.

WP: Dominic Poltrone (2-0)
LP: Reilly Shafer (1-3)


GAME 2
LAKE ERIE - 5
CLARION - 3

Just like last game, the Storm got hot in the first inning.

Zach Hoskins led off with a single to right field and after swiping second he stole third on an error by the Clarion third baseman which advanced Mitchel Szymczak to first base. In another series of miscues, Hoskins scored on an error by the pitcher and Szymczak advanced to second. Jacob Mote brought him home with a double to left center and later would score himself on a passed ball. When all was said and done, Lake Erie had themselves a 3-0 lead.

Robert Helt got the start on the mound and gave the Storm 6.1 IP, allowing nine hits and surrendering just two earned runs while striking out five.

Lake Erie tacked on a run in the 5th with a clutch Mannuk Cadiz single and another run the 6th on a double by Szymczak. This was enough for the Storm and they came away with a 5-3 win to secure the series win. 

Mote and Hoskins both went 2-for-4 in the game to lead the offense and freshman AJ Dallmayer grabbed his second save of the season in relief for Helt.

WP: Robert Helt (2-1)
LP: Ryan Gallagher (0-1)
SV: AJ Dallmayer (2)


GAME 3
LAKE ERIE - 4
CLARION - 5

Both teams went back-and-forth in the final game of the series. The Storm once again jumped on the board first in the 3rd with a ground out by Mote. Clarion got their run back in the bottom half and in the 4th, Ty Sowers hit a sacrifice fly to score Justin Major. However, Clarion managed to tie it up again in the bottom half to make the score even at 2-2.

Lake Erie took the lead again in the 7th but the Golden Eagles tagged Gage Miller for three runs in the bottom half.

In the 8th inning, Zimba Cadiz hit a sacrifice fly to left field to inch his team closer but that would be it for the Storm offense as they would fall 5-4 to close the series out. 


WP: Bobby Curry (1-0)
LP: Gage Miller (0-1)


Lake Erie will be back in action on March 10th-11th for a four-game series against West Liberty University before starting conference play on March 15th-16th against the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans.