CLEARFIELD – After falling behind for the first time in the game in the top of the sixth inning, the Clearfield Little League 11-Year-Old All-Stars responded with two runs for an exciting 4-3 win over Marion Walker in their District 5 Tournament opener on William McNamee Memorial Field Tuesday evening.
Robby Carns triggered the comeback with a first-pitch double to right center, went to third on a groundout and scored the tying run on the first of Marion Walker\’s three errors in the bottom of the sixth.
Zach Timchak reached base on the bobble, took second when the ball was thrown away at home plate and moved to third on a groundout that was the final pitch for Colton Schnars, who reached the 85-pitch limit.
Mitchell Grasser relieved and went to a full count against Spencer Herrington, who bounced a high chop to the right side that was misplayed as Timchak scored the deciding run for Clearfield\’s second victory.
Herrington wound up the winner in relief of C.J. Gathagan, who also was denied a shot at a complete game because of the pitch-count rule.
Gathagan, working with a 1-0 lead, shut out the visitors through four innings before Nate McClure belted a double to deep center, headed for third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error.
Clearfield regained the one-run edge in the lower fifth on Sawyer Rowles\’ two-out RBI-single, his second of the game.
The slick-fielding Schnars, who handled five grounders for assists, could only deflect Rowles\’ hit, allowing Gathagan to score. He had singled and advanced to third on a forceout and wild pitch.
Rowles accounted for Clearfield\’s first-inning run with a sharp single through the right side after Herrington got aboard on an error and Jon Janocko lined a hit to left.
In the sixth, Marion Walker (0-1) took a 3-2 lead on hits by Derek Fries and Mike Jabco, two walks and a groundout.
Herrington was pressed into a tough situation, bases loaded with only one out. Zach Stephens fouled off two full-count pitches before drawing a walk for an RBI. Then, Jabco scored on a groundout by Grasser, but two Marion Walker runners were stranded in scoring position when Herrington logged a strikeout.
Clearfield\’s rally ensued, setting up the winner\’s bracket final at home against Mifflin County Saturday at 6 p.m. Mifflin County (2-0) nipped State College American 3-2 Tuesday evening.
Gathagan turned in a solid performance, giving up five hits and two unearned runs while striking out six and walking two.
Clearfield got hits from every spot in the lineup except one and totaled 10 safeties. Carns joined Rowles in the two-hit column.
MARION WALKER — 3
Hunter Mihalik ss 2000, Derek Fries 2b 3110, Colton Schnars p-3b 3010, Mike Jabco cf 3110, Trenton Fye 3b-1b 2000, Zach Stephens c 1001, Mitchell Grasser 1b-p 3001, Nate McClure lf 3120, Matt Seyler rf 1000, Dillon Ault rf 1000. TOTALS: 22 3 5 2.
CLEARFIELD — 4
Josh Sorbera c 4000, Spencer Herrington ss-p 4110, C.J. Gathagan p-ss 3110, Jon Janocko 1b 3010, Sawyer Rowles 3b 3022, Nate Brady lf 1000, Josh Kennedy lf 2010, Robby Carns 2b 3120, Kyle Kushner rf-cf-rf 3010, Zach Timchak cf 2111, Dylan McGarry rf 1000. TOTALS: 29 4 10 3.
Score by Innings
Marion Walker 000 012 – 3 5 4
Clearfield 100 012 – 4 10 2
Errors – Fries, Fye 3; Sorbera, Timchak. LOB – Marion Walker 5; Clearfield 8. 2B – McClure; Carns. SB – Herrington, Rowles.
Pitching
Marion Walker – Schnars 5-2/3 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K; Grasser 0+ IP (faced 1 batter in 6th), 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
Clearfield – Gathagan 5-1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K; Herrington 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
HB – Gathagan 1 (Mihalik). WP – Schnars 1; Gathagan 2.
W – Herrington (1-0). L – Schnars (0-1).
Umpires – J.R. Rosselli (home plate), Jim Poorman (first base), Tyrone Ford (third base).
