CLEARFIELD – Two competitive, and entertaining, contests in near-perfect weather at the Lawrence Township Rec Park diamond Saturday and two nights of storytelling socials at the former Adventure Park added up to a great weekend for more than 50 former Clearfield Area High School players who participated in the fifth annual Bison Baseball Alumni Weekend.
Both of the six-inning games that featured 44 ex-Bisons were knotted going into the late frames.
A two-run home run in the top of the sixth by Gary Rowles lifted the Black Team to a 4-3 victory in the Oldtimers Game, while a five-run outburst in the top of the fifth boosted the Red Team to an 8-4 win in the Youngsters Game.
Dennis Bowman\’s third consecutive single preceded Rowles\’ blast to right off Todd Vanderburgh that made Bob Marsh a winner, with Donnie Shimmel coming out of the bullpen to strike out the side for his second save in as many years.
Marsh went to the mound after Bowman blanked the Red on two hits through three innings and departed with a 2-0 lead.
Donnie Beauseigneur doubled and scored the first run on Bowman\’s second hit off Red starter Dave Dunlap. After Rowles singled, Marsh plated Bowman with a sacrifice fly.
Scott Dunlap\’s double and Vanderburgh\’s single got the Red on the board in the fourth, and Chris Dixon launched a home run to left in the fifth to tie the score.
Before Shimmel snuffed out the Red\’s comeback bid in the lower sixth, he made it interesting by giving up a run with two outs when Dave Dunlap doubled home brother Scott, who had walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. However, Shimmel froze Vanderburgh on the third strike for the final out.
Dave Pennington joined Bowman and Rowles in the multi-hit column for the Black.
Dave Dunlap and Vanderburgh had two hits apiece for the Red.
Special Oldtimers awards went to Most Valuable Players Rowles and Dixon, Golden Glovers Marsh and Scott Dunlap and Rookies of the Year Doug Danver for the Black and Dave Dunlap. Dixon was named an MVP for the second year in a row.
In the Youngsters Game, the teams matched pairs of runs in the first inning.
A walk and RBI-doubles by Adam Jury and Steve Terry gave the Red a 2-0 start against Mike Davidson, but the Black quickly countered. Brandon Billotte provided the spark with an opposite-field inside-the-park homer to right off Trey Wallace, and the second resulted from a Scott Hugney single and Davidson double to left center.
Both starters settled down, though a walk and singles by Joe Rumsky and Billotte put the Black ahead 3-2 in the second.
With two outs in the fourth, the Red drew even on Aaron Rowles\’ two-bagger that plated Wallace. Todd Fedder tried to score from first on the hit but was cut down at the plate on a relay from right fielder Tim Oswalt to Davidson to catcher Thomas Yeager.
Hugney wasn\’t as fortunate in the fifth, as the Red erupted for the five-spot.
Jury snapped the tie with his second double after Brent Lykens walked and Kevin Billotte singled. Chris Peacock followed with a double for what proved to be the game-winning hit, Rob Billotte tacked on a run with a sacrifice fly and Wallace capped the rally with a two-run single.
Fedder was rewarded with the win after working two hitless innings. He walked two but faced only seven batters because Yeager picked off a runner in the lower fifth.
Terry pitched the lower sixth and yielded one run on two walks and Davidson\’s double.
Jury, Wallace and Davidson were the only Youngsters with more than one hit.
Fedder and Davidson picked up the MVP trophies, Lykens and Yeager were the Golden Glove recipients and Kurt McGovern and Jury claimed Rookie of the Year honors. Davidson is a three-time MVP.
Scott Dunlap won the Oldtimers Home Run Derby, and Hugney edged out Kevin Billotte by two points in the Youngsters Home Run Derby.
EXTRA INNINGS – Brian Barr, Brent Lykens, Jeff Aveni, Frank Hipps Jr. and Joe Rumsky teamed up to win the second annual Bison Baseball Alumni Golf Scramble at the Clearfield-Curwensville Country Club Friday morning. Thomas Yeager belted the longest drive, and Aveni holed the longest putt… Former Bisons and 38-year CAHS coach Sid Lansberry, who heads the Bison Baseball Alumni Committee, doled out special thanks to Ben Timko and 765-Deck for sponsoring the game shirts and to the following volunteers who helped make the 2009 Bison Baseball Alumni Weekend another rousing success: Bill Bacharach, Al Fricke and Dan Winters, umpires; Pat Pallo and Ed Yeager, announcers; Rick Ogden, statistician; Doug Michaels, scoreboard operator; Bear Stewart, home run derby statistician; Brandon Billotte and Peacock, home run derby pitching; Ron Lizotte, photographer; Megan and Sara Liptak, National Anthem singers; Jeff Kavelak, food catering and concessions; Pam Danver, photography and concessions; Rayanna Kavelak, Cary Lundberg and Leah Lundberg, concessions; Shimmel, programs; Dan Malloy, hat and shirt design; Gregg Rich, music, and Barr, golf tournament;
OLDTIMERS GAME
Black 020 002 – 4 10 0
Red 000 111 – 3 8 0
(B) Dennis Bowman, Bob Marsh (4), Donnie Shimmel (6) and Tom Danver; (R) Dave Dunlap, Todd Vanderburgh (4) and Andy Lingle.
W – Marsh. L – Vanderburgh. Save – Shimmel.
3H – (B) Bowman. 2H – (B) Gary Rowles, Dave Pennington; (R) D. Dunlap; Vanderburgh.
2B – (R) Scott Dunlap, D. Dunlap. HR – (B) Rowles; (R) Chris Dixon.
* * * * *
YOUNGSTERS GAME
Red 200 150 – 8 10 0
Black 210 001 – 4 6 4
(R) Trey Wallace, Todd Fedder (4), Steve Terry (6) and Thomas Yeager, Kurt McGovern (6); (B) Mike Davidson, Scott Hugney (4), Brandon Billotte (6) and Brent Lykens.
W – Fedder. L – Hugney.
2H – (B) Brandon Billotte, Mike Davidson; (R) Adam Jury, Trey Wallace.
2B – (B) Davidson; (R) Jury 2, Aaron Rowles.
