HEPBURNIA – Justin Hoffman rapped four hits and Matt Lonjin socked three hits and drove in two runs as Trevor Flanagan and the Clearfield Chiefs made it two wins in as many nights against Curwensville by doubling up the Haymakers 6-3 in Jefferson County Legion Baseball League action at Thorp Twins Memorial Field Thursday.
Flanagan, who earned the decision by getting the final four outs in Wednesday\’s 11-9 home-field victory, came back with a complete game that elevated the third-place Chiefs to 7-4.
The lanky right-hander fashioned an eight-hitter, but Tyler Johns was the only Haymaker to give him any problems after the third inning. Johns doubled in the fourth and singled in the sixth.
With batters on both teams swinging at the first pitch or very early in the count, Flanagan and McGary went to three-ball counts just four times apiece in a fast-paced game that was history in a little over an hour and a half.
Flanagan, who had one strikeout and one walk, got the job done with 92 pitches, four less than McGary. The Haymaker southpaw fanned two and walked two while surrendering four earned runs.
All 13 Clearfield hits were singles, Kyle Timchak and Chad Zurat backing Hoffman and Lonjin with two apiece.
Hoffman is 11-for-19 in four games this week.
Singles by Mark Dell\’Antonio, Airik Hutton and Cory Bloom produced a run for the Haymakers in the second, but the Chiefs answered with three on five hits in the third. Timchak, Corey Bookhamer and Tanner St. Clair delivered RBI-singles.
Curwensville (4-8) tied it in the lower third on consecutive hits by Ianniq Ecklund, Brett Sutika and Brett McCracken and a sacrifice fly by Derek Dixon.
Lonjin came through with the game-winning hit in the fourth after Zurat dropped a single into short center and moved up on a wild pitch.
The Chiefs took advantage of Curwensville\’s lone miscue to tack on two runs in the fifth, the final one courtesy of a Lonjin single.
Defensive gems were turned in by both right fielders, Dixon and the Chiefs\’ Shane Harper diving to make outstanding catches.
St. Clair robbed pinch-hitter Jeff Smallwood in the sixth with an over-the-shoulder grab of his looper over third base.
Haymaker middle infielders McCracken and Sutika turned double plays in the first and second innings.
Clearfield (8-10) will be playing under the lights Friday at Brookville\’s McKinley Field and Sunday at Punxsutawney\’s Rich Kuntz Memorial Field. The Chiefs meet Laurel Eye Clinic at 8 p.m. and start a double-header against Punxsy Post 17 at 6 p.m.
CLEARFIELD — 6
Justin Hoffman 2b- rf 4140, Trevor Flanagan p 0000, Kyle Timchak dh 3121, Corey Bookhamer 1b 4011, Tanner St. Clair 3b 3111, Derek Danver ss 3000, Aaron Sayers cf 3000, Chad Zurat lf 4220, Troy Danver lf 0000, Matt Lonjin c 4132, Shane Harper rf 1000, Luke Peterson 2b 0000, Tyler Jacobson 2b 0000. TOTALS: 29 6 13 5.
CURWENSVILLE — 3
Ben McGary p 4000, Ianniq Ecklund cf 3110, Boone McGary ph 1000, Brett Sutika 2b 3110, Brett McCracken ss 4011, Derek Dixon rf 2001, Mark Dell\’Antonio 1b 3110, Airik Hutton lf 2010, Shane Hoover ph 1000, Cory Bloom c 2011, Jeff Smallwood ph 1000, Tyler Johns 3b 3020. TOTALS: 29 3 8 3.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 003 120 0 – 6 13 2
Curwensville 002 034 0 – 3 8 1
Errors – D. Danver 2; McCracken. DP – Clearfield 1 (D. Danver, Peterson and Bookhamer; Curwensville 2 (Sutika, McCracken and Dell\’Antonio; McCracken, Sutika and Dell\’Antonio). LOB – Clearfield 8; Curwensville 7. 2B – Bloom, Johns. Sac – Timchak, D. Danver, Harper 2. SF – Dixon.
Pitching
Clearfield – Flanagan 7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Curwensville – Ben McGary 7 IP, 13 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
WP – Ben McGary 2.
W – Flanagan (3-2). L – Ben McGary.
Umpires – Daryl Barrett (plate); Kenny Knepp (bases).
