HYDE – Dylan Kachmar\’s pitching and hitting were the difference as Punxsutawney squeezed past Clearfield 4-3 in an extra-inning Jefferson County Legion League nail-biter at the Bison Sports Complex Wednesday evening.
Kachmar blanked the Chiefs over the last 3-2/3 innings and drilled a single to center in the eighth that plated Dakota Bish with the deciding run. Bish had ripped a single inside third base and moved into scoring position with Punxsy\’s ninth stolen base.
The outcome was crucial for both teams as far as positioning for the upcoming championship playoffs.
Punxsy (10-3) closed on first-place DuBois (13-3), which was upended 12-11 by Curwensville in another Wednesday make-up.
Meanwhile, Clearfield (9-7) saw its grip on third place slip to a half-game over Curwensville (9-8). Depending on how the Chiefs and Haymakers fare in their other games, third place could be on the line when they meet at Hepburnia next Tuesday.
Brookville (6-10) still is mathematically alive for fourth place, but the Laurel Eye Clinic would need to sweep four games, three against the top two teams, and have the Chiefs or Haymakers lose out.
Clearfield, bidding for its first win in three tries against Punxsy, wasted a strong outing by Trevor Flanagan, who gave up only five hits and one earned run in six innings. The right-hander registered five strikeouts and issued three walks.
He was locked in a duel with Brodi Lowmaster through four innings but trailed 2-0 as a result of Tommy Bush\’s ringing double to right center, Jacob Stumpf\’s rope to left and a Clearfield throwing error in the first inning.
Lowmaster, a lefty with a very effective curve, had the Chiefs blanked on three hits going into the fifth.
Back-to-back sharply-hit ground singles by Aaron Sayers and Justyn Knepp triggered a three-run rally.
After Tyler Jacobson sacrificed, Justin Hoffman was intentionally walked, but the strategy backfired when Lowmaster also walked Kyle Timchak and Corey Bookhamer to force in the tying runs.
With the count 2-1 on Tanner St. Clair, Kachmar relieved Lowmaster but missed on his first two pitches, giving Clearfield the go-ahead run.
After that, Kachmar was all business, surrendering only a two-out single by Bookhamer in the seventh and a walk to Andrew Redden leading off the lower eighth.
Aggressive baserunning got Punxsy even at 3-3 in the sixth. Zach Dickey singled, stole second and third and scored when the ball was thrown away at third base.
Clearfield manager Sid Lansberry switched to Bookhamer in the seventh, and the left-hander worked out of a big jam after Braedon Pennington rifled a one-out triple to right center. Lansberry ordered intentional walks to Bush and Stumpf, loading the bases, and Bookhamer made the move pay off by fanning the next two batters.
He couldn\’t escape the eighth, though, and suffered the loss despite striking out five in two innings.
Clearfield did get the tying run to second via the walk to Redden and a sacrifice bunt by Derek Danver. However, Redden was thrown out at third on Sayers\’ grounder to short, and Kachmar retired Knepp on a fly to right.
Hoffman had two of Clearfield\’s six singles.
The Chiefs, 10-13 overall, are booked for a home game against Reynoldsville Thursday and a make-up at DuBois Friday.
On Friday and Saturday, they will host the Bradford and Fox Township legion teams and the Clearfield Babe Ruth League 13-15 All-Stars in the annual Clearfield Independence Day Tournament at the Lawrence Township Rec Park Field.
JCL Standings – DuBois 13-3, Punxsutawney 10-3, Clearfield 9-7, Curwensville 9-8, Brookville 6-10, Reynoldsville 0-16.
PUNXSUTAWNEY — 4
Braedon Pennington lf 4010, Tommy Bush 3b-ss 3120, Jacob Stumpf cf 2111, Tyler Wingard 1b 3000, Tyler Skerkavich 1b 0000, Brodi Lowmaster p 0000, Zach Dickey dh-3b 4110, Devan Neal rf 4000, Dom Bevak c 2000, Dakota Bish ph-c 1110, Dylan Kachmar ss-p 4011, Tyler Neal 3b 0000, Kyle Neal 2b 2010, Jordan Mesoraco 2b 2000. TOTALS: 31 4 8 2.
CLEARFIELD — 3
Justin Hoffman rf 3120, Trevor Flanagan p-1b 0000, Kyle Timchak dh 0000, Corey Bookhamer 1b-p 3011, Tanner St. Clair 3b 3001, Andrew Redden c 3000, Derek Danver ss 3000, Aaron Sayers cf 4110, Justyn Knepp lf 4110, Tyler Jacobson 1000, Luke Peterson 2b 0000. TOTALS: 27 3 6 3.
Score by Innings
Punxsutawney 200 001 01 – 4 8 0
Clearfield 000 030 00 – 3 6 3
Errors – St. Clair, Redden, Jacobson. LOB – Punxsutawney 8. 2B – Bush. 3B – Pennington. Sac – Timchak, Danver, Jacobson. SB – Stumpf 3, Dickey 3, Bish 2, K. Neal 1. CS – Bush (by Flanagan); Kachmar (by Bookhamer).
Pitching
Punxsutawney – Lowmaster 4-1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K; Kachmar 3-2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.
Clearfield – Flanagan 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K; Bookhamer 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.
WP – Lowmaster 1. PO – Flanagan 1 (Skerkavich).
W – Lowmaster. L – Bookhamer (4-2).
Umpires – Joe Shick (plate); Frank Keenan (bases).
