Winter Haven, FL - Following an extensive rain delay that pushed first pitch back an hour and a half, the Clarkson University Baseball team dropped a back-and-forth contest, 6-5, to Wisconsin River-Falls, Saturday evening.
Clarkson drops to 5-4 overall and will take the day off on Sunday before returning to action on Monday with a doubleheader versus William Patterson and Stevens at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex. River Falls improves to 2-0 overall.
Following a scoreless first two innings, River Falls broke the deadlock in the top of the third with two runs off an infield single. A single and sac fly then led to a walk and steal to put runners on second and third. Andrew Athmann then beat out an infield single to the shortstop, allowing the inning to continue and the visitors on the scoreboard to go up 2-0.
Clarkson would then threaten in the bottom half of the inning when an Aidan Kuefner single pitted runners at first and third with just one gone. Kuefner would then steal second before Joe Figliolino forced a walk to load the bases. A passed ball on the next pitch would score Christian Barley to halve the deficit as the Knights looked to add more with runners still in scoring position until Cade Bruett forced a flyout to left to end the inning.
Capitalizing on a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth, Clarkson would tie the score at 2-2 when Jackson Waters would advance David Harris to second with a well-placed sacrifice bunt. After a warning track catch for out number two for the Falcons, Christian Barley would blast a double off the right field wall to score Harris before a sharp relay from the outfield would end the inning with Barley narrowly being beat at third.
River Falls provided an immediate response in the next half-inning however, when Max Krebs produced a double down the left field line and stole third before the first out of the frame. Krebs would score two at-bats later as a hard hit grounder to short would be just deep enough in the infield to make it 3-2. Looking to add more in the sixth, River Falls managed to load the bases with just one out and the top of the order coming to the plate. With his back to the wall, Ryan Petrie kept his composure on the mound for the Knights, striking out the #1 and #2 hitters for the Falcons, and getting the Knights back into the dugout down just one.
Clarkson was able to carry that momentum over into the batter's box as Figliolino and Beau Vardion would both reach to start the inning. After advancing on a passed ball, a two-out double off the bat of Nolan Merrow that just stayed inside the right field line, plated the two to give Clarkson their first lead of the contest at 4-3.
The lead continued to shift in the top of the seventh as River Falls added two more thanks to a fielder's choice in the infield to make it 5-4. Cameron Barbulean would then enter the fray from the bullpen for the Golden Knights with the bases loaded and play damage control, forcing a strikeout and lineout to again limit the damage done.
With bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the eighth, Clarkson looked set on at least cutting into the deficit if not reversing it in their favor. Connor Ducklow would then enter to pitch for the Falcons and proceed to force a popup and two looking strikeouts to get River Falls out of the inning with the lead still intact.
Clarkson would receive a late glimmer of hope in the bottom of the ninth when Seth Albert would reach on a fielding error and score following a Figliolino double to left. However, with a runner still in scoring position Ducklow forced a popup to close the game out.
Petrie would eventually be handed the loss for the Golden Knights, striking out five while giving up three runs in two and a third innings of work. Vaughn Johnson earned the win in relief for the Falcons, giving up two hits while striking out four.
