BRADFORD – In an exciting finish to a wild District 9 Northern Allegany League schoolboy baseball game, Clearfield scored a run in the top of the seventh inning and then escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation to nip Bradford 14-13 on the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford diamond Wednesday afternoon.
The Bisons, who trailed 4-0 after one frame, saw a 13-6 bulge wiped out before pulling out their third win in a row for a 5-5 record.
At 2-2, they\’re one of five teams in the balanced D9NAL with two losses.
Matt Lonjin made Parker Herrington, the third Clearfield hurler, a winner by knocking in the deciding run with his third hit.
His single to short left center scored Derek Danver, who had doubled and advanced to third on Kyle Timchak\’s sacrifice bunt.
Bradford (6-5, 1-2 D9NAL) turned it into a real nail-biter by filling the sacks on a walk, a single by Cody Matzner and a one-out fielder\’s choice that retired no one.
First, Corey Bookhamer saved the day by charging and barehanding Clayton Yohe\’s slow roller for a forceout at the plate.
\”That was a heck of a play,\” Bison coach Sid Lansberry said. \”Then, the next batter fouled off four 2-2 pitches.\”
The drama continued when Herrington went to a full count.
So, Lansberry signaled for a pickoff play at first.
The timing between Herrington and Bookhamer was perfect, as was the throw.
Game over.
Clearfield didn\’t waste many scoring opportunities, stranding only four runners, as Lonjin and Herrington socked three hits apiece, while Bookhamer and Tanner St. Clair each had three RBIs.
All of Bookhamer\’s came on one swing, a long home run to right field that capped a five-run outburst for an 11-6 lead in the fourth inning. St. Clair accounted for the other two runs with his second single of the game.
Two runs in the fifth, one on Herrington\’s groundout and the other on a wild pitch, gave Bookhamer and the Bisons their seven-run cushion.
However, the Owls battled back with six runs, the key blow a two-run triple by Mike Pascarella following RBI-singles by Evan Kline and Cory Viola.
Chad Zurat finally quelled the rally after relieving Bookhamer.
Lansberry turned the game over to Herrington in the sixth.
The senior right-hander, who had saved Clearfield\’s victory over DuBois Monday, allowed one hit and one run in two innings.
Bradford got the equalizing run on a two-out throwing error, but that only set the stage for the thrilling seventh
\”That\’s two games in a row Parker came in and shut the door, basically,\” Lansberry said. \”The run he gave up was unearned. So, he has a save and a win so far this week.\”
Clearfield, which hosts St. Marys in a key D9NAL make-up contest Thursday and Hollidaysburg Friday, fell behind 4-0 and 6-4 early.
Pat Pascarella clubbed two-run doubles in the first two innings for Bradford.
The Bisons posted four runs in the second, Aaron Sayers and Lonjin checking in with RBI singles and Jarrin Campman adding a sacrifice fly, and two more in the second thanks to a pair of Bradford errors.
Lansberry noted the defensive work of Lonjin behind the plate.
\”He did a heck of a job blocking balls on a lot of pitches in the dirt,\” he said. \”And it\’s a good distance to the backstop at that field.\”
In other D9NAL action Wednesday, DuBois moved into first place with a 10-6 win over St. Marys and Punxsutawney clipped Brookville 11-1 in five innings.
District 9 Northern Allegany League Big School Division Standings – DuBois 4-2, Punxsutawney 3-2, Clearfield 2-2, St. Marys 2-2, Brookville 2-4, Bradford 1-2.
CLEARFIELD — 14
Jarrin Campman 2b 2101, Parker Herrington ss-p 5231, Justin Hoffman rf 5100, Tanner St. Clair lf 3223, Corey Bookhamer p-1b 3213, Aaron Sayers cf 3011, Derek Danver 3b-ss 4211, Matt Flanagan 1b 0000, Chad Zurat p 0000, Tyler Jacobson 3b 0000, Kyle Timchak dh 2200, Matt Lonjin c 3232. TOTALS: 30 14 11 12.
BRADFORD — 13
Cory Viola ss 5220, Mike Pascarella 1b 3212, Cody Matzner p-2b 3220, Josh Scott rf 3100, Pat Pascarella cf 5234, Clayton Yohe lf 5112, Kyle Yurkewicz 3b 4121, Garrett Newhouse c 2110, Rich Obermeyer 2b 2001, Evan Kline p 2110. TOTALS: 34 13 13 10.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 042 520 1 – 14 11 2
Bradford 420 061 0 – 13 13 5
Errors – M. Flanagan, Jacobson; Viola 3, Yurkewicz, Obermeyer. PB – Lonjin 2; Newhouse 1. DP – Bradford 2 (Obermeyer and M. Pascarella; P. Pascarella, M. Pascarella and Obermeyer). LOB – Clearfield 4; Bradford 6. 2B – Danver, Lonjin; Viola, P. Pascarella 2 D, Yurkewicz. 3B – M. Pascarella. HR – Bookhamer (1). Sac – Campman, Timchak, Lonjin; Scott. SF – Campman, St. Clair.
Pitching
Clearfield – Bookhamer 4-1/3 IP, 10 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 4 BB, 4 K; Zurat 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K; Herrington 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
Bradford – Matzner 4 IP, 8 H, 11 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K; Kline 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.
HB – Matzner 1(Sayers) WP – Herrington – 1, Matzner 2.
W – Herrington (1-0). L – Kline (0-2).
