With the game-tying and game-winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Clarkson University Baseball team was unable to push them across the plate and fell to Western New England, 10-8, in Lake Haven, Florida on Wednesday afternoon.

Clarkson is now 2-6 on the season while Western New England moves to 6-0. Clarkson will have a tough test tomorrow afternoon when the Green and Gold take on reigning national champions Cortland State at 3:30 pm.

It was the Golden Bears who struck first, scoring one run in top of the second and four more in the third.

Clarkson answered though with its biggest inning of the season. Connor Martin and Alex Hill opened the inning with consecutive singles with Martin going from first to third on Hill's hit. Anthony Padrazo then singled home Martin before Chris Miller had the fourth consecutive Clarkson single to load the bases. Next up was Greg Jasek who ripped a double to center field that cleared the base. Brad Pearson then singled with Jasek making a heady play and rounding third, forcing the second baseman into an error that allowed the senior first baseman to score the tying run.

The tie ended up being short lived as Western New England tagged on a run in the bottom of the fifth and then three more in the sixth, with the capper being a mammoth home run to right field.

Clarkson refused to fold and halved its deficit in its half of the sixth. Three consecutive singles from Will Coleman, Dom Pirro, and Ben Knauf loaded the bases for the Golden Knights. Coleman and Pirro scored on consecutive wild pitches before Knauf tried to do the same, but the catcher was able to scramble back and flip the ball to the pitcher who applied the tag before Knauf touched home plate.

The Golden Bears added one more run in the seventh to take a three run lead into the bottom of the ninth. Clarkson started its final rally when Martin singled to center field with Bobby Smarrelli coming in to pinch run. After a strikeout, Smarrelli took advantage of a passed ball to move into scoring position, a move that proved advantageous when Padrazo's single brought Smarrelli home. Miller kept the rally going when he reached on an error and then Jasek laced a single through the right side to load the bases. That was it though, as the Golden Bears retired the next two batters and held onto their lead.

Coleman threw five and two thirds innings in his second start of the year, allowing seven runs on eleven hits with three strikeouts. Ethan Kornbrek relieved Coleman for one third of an inning before Ryan Riley pitched three scoreless frames to close out the game. Jasek and Padrazo led the way offensively with five hits and five RBI's between them with Coleman and Martin also picking up multiple hits.