BASEBALL
FORT PIERCE, Fla. – Sophomore designated hitter Adam Jury of Bigler drove in what proved to be the winning run Saturday and legged out an inside-the-park home run Sunday as Slippery Rock began its Spring Break Trip to the Sunshine State with three victories.
The former Clearfield Area High School standout grounded out for his fourth-inning RBI in The Rock\’s 3-1 squeaker over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference rival Mansfield at Boca Raton.
He collected three hits, including the homer and a double, as Slippery Rock blasted the University of the Sciences 25-2 to complete a double-header sweep.
The Rock (5-1) thumped the Philadelphia team 22-4 in the opener and wound up with 42 hits, including seven home runs, in the two games.
Catcher Matt Adams of Philipsburg doubled twice in the first game and homered twice in the nightcap for a six-RBI weekend that earned the two-time NCAA Division II All-American the PSAC-West Division Player of Week honors.
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SOFTBALL
HILO, Hi. – Brittany Pataky of Clearfield singled twice and was hit by a pitch once in seven trips to the plate as Lock Haven, ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II, got off to a rough 1-3 start to the season in a weekend series with Hawaii-Hilo.
The Lady Eagle sophomore had both hits and scored a run in an eight-inning 7-6 loss Saturday.
She came through with a pinch-hit single and scored on Sarah Norris\’ three-run homer in the fifth inning and then played first base. In the extra inning, she delivered a two-out single to center field with Kristen Erb at second base, but the Lady Eagle pitcher was thrown out at the plate, and the Vulcans scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning.
Pataky, who hit .325 in 30 games as a freshman, did not play in Lock Haven\’s opener, a 2-0 setback.
On Sunday, she pinch-hit in the Lady Eagles\’ first win, 2-1, and was 0-for-2 in the nightcap, getting the start at first base before switching with DH Erb.
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WOMEN\’S TRACK & FIELD
MARIETTA, Ohio – Westminster senior Rebecca Shiner of Clearfield finished third in the 800-meter run at the Marietta Open indoor meet Saturday.
The race drew 24 runners from 12 schools.
She recorded a 2:27.37 that was her best time of the indoor season.
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MEN\’S TRACK & FIELD
MARIETTA, Ohio – Freshman Ryan Jones of Clearfield turned in a 1:11.88 in hit first 500-meter race as Westminster ended its indoor schedule at the Marietta Open Saturday.
He placed seventh in the 10-runner field.
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WRESTLING
ERIE, Pa. – Clearfield Area High School graduate Kyle Keane of Bradford was unable to successfully defend his 2008 NCAA Division II East Region 165-pound championship for Pitt-Johnstown Saturday, losing 7-0 to No. 1-ranked Joel Shields of tournament host Mercyhurst in the finals.
Both earned All-American status with fourth-place finishes in last year\’s nationals, Keane at 165 and Shields at 174 after losing in the region finals to UPJ\’s Albert Miles.
They had been ranked one-two by the National Wrestling Coaches Association early in the season, but Keane slipped to No. 4 after a 7-0 dual-meet loss to Shields Jan. 17. Shields, a PIAA Class AA runner-up for Burrell in 2006, ascended to No. 1 in early February.
Keane, who had been out of the Mountain Cat lineup since losing 11-8 to Brandon Kelly of Newberry (S.C.) in the East Coast Duals on Jan. 23, was seeded behind Shields and Kelly.
The Mountain Cat redshirt junior upended Kelly 5-3 in the semifinals after a 10-1 major decision over Casey Bradley of Limestone (S.C.) and a 7-2 win over sixth seed Seth Phalen of West Liberty (W.Va.).
Keane (18-9) will join five other Mountain Cats in the NCAA Division II National Tournament March 13-14 at Houston, Texas.
Shane Valko, a three-time PIAA Class AA placewinner for Forest Hills, was named the region tourney\’s Outstanding Wrestler after winning the 133 crown while Adam Whetstone, a 2005 PIAA Class AA champ for Claysburg-Kimmel, was runner-up at 141.
Mountain Cats placing third were Ryan McIntyre (Claysburg-Kimmel) at 149, Patrick Walsh at 197 and Chris Dempsey at heavyweight.
All are redshirt juniors except Dempsey, who is a sophomore redshirt.
UPJ finished second with 108 points. Newberry took team honors with 135.5.
Two other former District 9 matmen qualified for nationals, both for West Liberty.
Senior Doug Surra of St. Marys upheld his No. 1 seed at 141 with a major decision, a fall and two decisions, beating UPJ\’s Whetstone 11-5 in the finals. Surra has placed fifth in the nationals the last two years.
Freshman Nick Wykoff of DuBois earned a trip to Houston by placing fourth at 133.
