Eagle Lake, FL – Senior Alex Giovannone (New Hartford, NY) extended his scoreless streak to 16 innings dating back to last season as the lefty allowed just three hits in five-plus innings to help the Clarkson University Baseball team rebound in the second game of its doubleheader Friday, beating Mount Union 7-0 following a 10-4 loss at Lake Region High School.

The Golden Knights open the season at 1-1 after the split, while Mount Union moved to 2-5 on its southern swing. Clarkson plays Keene at 3:00 pm on Saturday at Winter Haven, FL.

In the opener, the Knights scored a pair of unearned runs in the second inning when Sam Grainger (Bedford, MA) forced in a run with his bases loaded walk and Pete Clarke (Tully, NY) did the same when he was hit by a pitch. The inning began when Justin McInerney (Grand Island, NY) reached on an error, followed by a double from Chris Falteisek (Baldwinsville, NY). Dan Padrazo (Setaucket, NY) helped load the bases when he was hit by a pitch, setting up the situations for Grainger and Clarke.

Mount Union responded with three runs in the bottom of the third when Greg Ferrell hit a full-count fastball for a home run over the rightfield fence. The game remained tight until the fifth inning when the Raiders sent 11 men to the plate, with six coming around to score thanks to five consecutive singles. Down 10-2 entering the seventh inning, Clarkson added a pair of runs as Grainger led off the inning with his second career home run, belting the second pitch over the right-center wall. Garrett Russell (Lake George, NY) followed with a walk and came around on a two-out double from David Kinney (Mexico, NY).

Senior righty David Goerold (Clifton Park, NY) took the loss, but pitched well through the first four innings before he lost his stuff in the game-altering fifth inning. Cody Colly struck out 12 for his first victory of the season for the Raiders.

In game two of the doubleheader, Clarkson took little time getting on the scoreboard, picking up two runs in the bottom of the first inning as the home team. Freshman Dan Lenney (Clifton Park, NY) led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from McInerney. Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY) walked and Kinney was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Falteisek delivered an RBI-single when he lifted a pop up over the infield, and Russell lifted a sacrifice fly to left to add the second run.

The Knights added another run in the fourth inning as Falteisek led off with a double and advanced home on a botched throw to first on a sacrifice bunt.

Giovannone wiggled out of bases loaded jams in the fourth and fifth inning, and sophomore Anthony Farrell (Topsham, ME) did the same in the sixth to preserve the shutout. Clarkson added on four more in the bottom of the sixth to close out the game when freshman David Wixted (Ballston Lake, NY) plated Kinney with a single to center. Wixted and Falteisek executed a double steal, allowing Falteisek to score, and Grainger singled home another run. Lenney legged out a fielder’s choice to allow Grainger to score on a hard hit ball up the middle.

Giovannone finished one out short of six innings, tying a career-best with eight strikeouts while allowing just three hits. Farrell earned an easy save, completing the shutout by retiring four hitters in the sixth and seventh innings.