Clarion Baseball Grinds Out Win Over Cranberry

CLARION, Pa. – Cameron Lapinto pitched seven innings of three run ball to power Clarion and their patient offense past Cranberry, 5-3.

(Photo: Dawson Smail had a Key 2-RBI Single in the Win)

Clarion only had three hits in the contest but took advantage of seven walks and a hit-by-pitch to cash in offensively. Clarion scored four in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a five-run lead. Cranberry came roaring back, scoring three in the sixth and loading the bases in the seventh, but Lapinto struck out Weaver to end the game.

Lapinto pitched all seven innings, giving up three runs and striking out two. Dawson Smail went 1-for-3 for Clarion, hitting a key two-RBI single in the fourth. Austin Fento was solid on the bump for Cranberry, pitching 3 2/3 innings and giving up four runs, but zero earned runs. Brendan Zerbe pitched well for the Berries down the stretch, allowing no hits in 1 2/3 innings. Kenny Lavrich went 2-for-4 for Cranberry.

Both teams struggled to get their offenses rolling during the early innings, with Lapinto and Fento filling up the zone and forcing soft contact from opposing hitters. The teams also fielded well, making a lone error throughout the entire contest. The Bobcats scored the first runs of the game in the fourth inning, where four walks found their way around to score. Smail provided the highlight of the inning, smacking a 2 RBI single to left-center field.

Clarion tacked an extra run on in the bottom of the fifth, as Hunter Craddock drove in Cameron Lapinto on a fielder’s choice to increasing Clarion’s lead to 5-0. Cranberry found success offensively in the sixth, firing up the bats to score three runs. Three straight singles by Lavrich, Chase Wenner, and Fento came around to score in the frame, slashing the deficit to two.

Cranberry would threaten in the seventh, with two singles and a hit-by-pitch loading the bases with two outs. Lapinto won the battle with Weaver to get the game-ending strikeout, sealing Clarion’s win.

The Bobcats advance to 2-4. They will next play host to C-L on Wednesday. Cranberry drops to 1-2. They will travel to Forest Area on Wednesday.