HYDE – Clutch two-out, two-run singles by pinch-hitter Justyn Knepp and Matt Lonjin capped a seven-run outburst in the sixth inning that wiped out a 6-0 deficit and gave Clearfield a dramatic 7-6 victory over DuBois in scholastic baseball action at the Bison Sports Complex Monday.
Then, the Bisons had to survive a couple of weird plays in the top of the seventh of their District 9 Northern Allegany League Big School Division opener before they could stash away their second straight Central Penn League stunner.
The numbers aren’t milestones for coach Sid Lansberry’s 39-year career, Win 521 in Game 857 certainly will be burned in his memory for a long time.
“That’s a great comeback, one of the best I’ve seen in years,” he reflected on the exciting finish of the Bisons’ first outing since they endured a three-home run attack by defending CPL champion State College to eke out a 5-4 win.
“Their pitcher was dominant,” Lansberry pointed out. “He’d thrown only 53 pitches going into that inning, when, all of a sudden, we started hitting the ball.”
Andrew Redden ignited the Clearfield rally with a one-out single, his third consecutive hit off Dom Kriner.
After Justin Hoffman walked, Derek Danver rammed a single to center for his first hit and first RBI of the season, and Hoffman also scored when the ball scooted under the outfielder’s glove.
The third DuBois misplay of the inning on pinch-hitter Garrett Samsel’s hard grounder and Tyler Jacobson’s bouncing single to right made it 6-3 and prompted Beavers’ coach Todd Stiner, who played for Lansberry, to make a pitching change.
Braden Bish retired pinch-hitter Wil Beauseigneur on a comebacker, but he couldn’t escape with the save
His wild pitch set up the table for Knepp, who came off the bench to shoot a single into right center for two more runs.
Leadoff batter Jarrett Fulmer drew his third free pass of the game, and another wild pitch moved the tying and winning runs into scoring position for Lonjin, who turned a forgettable day into one to remember always with a hard grounder inside first base that diving John Georgino couldn’t flag down.
Lonjin had struggled at the plate, failing to get down a bunt twice and striking out two times, and also had two throwing errors, a rarity, but the senior catcher delivered with the game on the line.
“That was a big hit, but all the other hits were key in that inning, too,” Lansberry said.
Chad Zurat was called on to preserve reliever Tyler Jacobson’s first career victory, and the save proved to be an adventure.
Zurat put the tying run aboard with a walk to Tyler Miles. Matt Zimmerman popped up a sacrifice attempt for what appeared to be an easy out. The charging Redden had to retreat to make a leaping grab, only to drop the ball. However, he quickly picked it up and fired to second for a forceout, with shortstop Fulmer climbing the ladder for the high throw.
“Did you see how high he had to jump?” Lansberry asked. “If that ball goes through to left center, they’re probably gonna score some runs.”
Zurat struck out Eric Liddle, but Zimmerman advanced to second on a passed ball.
Nate Liddle then pushed a roller toward right field that second baseman Danver dove to stop. His hurried but belated throw to first was off target, though, and only a heads-up play by Zurat averted trouble. He had alertly dashed into foul territory to back up Redden.
“That made all the difference there,” Lansberry said.
Then, Zurat punctuated the exciting finish when he caught Nate Sabados looking at strike three.
Prior to the Clearfield’s remarkable turnaround, Kriner was breezing along with a four-hit shutout, and the Beavers had built their lead two runs at a time.
The Bisons ended the first two innings with double plays, but the Beavers broke through against starter Trevor Flanagan in the third, converting two walks into runs on a sacrifice fly by Josh Means and a double steal.
Another walk and a double down the left field line by Means led to a pair in the fifth. Mario Gregorio flied out to deep right and Bish lined a single to center for the RBIs.
“Trevor pitched a good game against a solid lineup,” Lansberry said. “He did a good job, even though they scored some runs off him. They had some balls that just got through. He gave us all he had. I think it was 88 pitches. It was time for him to come out.”
Enter Jacobson, who gave up two runs in the sixth. An infield single by Eric Liddle, a hit batsman and a walk loaded the bases for Garrett Peterson, and the designated hitter found the hole on the left side with a seeing-eye grounder.
“Jacobson did his job,” Lansberry said. “He gave up a couple runs, but, again, they were good pitches. They went down and got ’em.
“And Zurat did a nice job as a closer.
“DuBois is a good team. That’s a real big win.
“Everybody had a part. Everybody did what we asked them to do.”
Jacobson had two hits for the Bisons, while Peterson and Miles each had two for the Beavers, who are 1-2.
Clearfield will host Punxsutawney Wednesday in another game that will count in both the D9NAL Big School Division and CPL.
District 9 Northern Allegany League Big School Division – Punxsutawney 2-0, Clearfield 1-0, Brookville 1-1, DuBois 0-1, Bradford 0-1, St. Marys 0-1.
Central Penn League Standings – Clearfield 2-0, Hollidaysburg 1-0, State College 2-1, Punxsutawney 1-1, Altoona 0-0, Williamsport 0-0, DuBois 0-2, St. Marys 0-2.
DUBOIS – 6
Nate Sabados cf 3100, Josh Means ss 2211, Mario Gregorio c 2011, Tyler Smith cr 0000, Dom Kriner p 0000, John Georgino 1b 0000, Garrett Peterson dh 4022, Braden Bish 3b-p 3011, Brandon Palumbo pr 0000, Tyler Miles lf 3020, Matt Zimmerman f 4000, Eric Liddle 1b-3b 4010, Billy Ellinger pr 0100, Nate Liddle 2b 2110. TOTALS: 27 6 9 5.
CLEARFIELD – 7
Jarrett Fulmer ss 1100, Matt Lonjin c 4012, Andrew Redden 1b 4130, Justin Hoffman rf 2110, Derek Danver 2b 3111, Shane Harper lf-cf 0000, Isaac Butler dh 2100, Garrett Samsel ph 1000, Tyler Jacobson 3b-p-3b 3121, Chad Zurat cf-p 2000, Wil Beauseigneur ph 1000, Trevor Flanagan p 2000, Luke Peterson 3b 0000, Justyn Knepp ph-lf 1112. TOTALS: 26 7 9 6.
Score by Innings
DuBois 002 022 0 – 6 9 3
Clearfield 000 007 x – 7 9 1
Errors – Sabados, Means, Miles; Lonjin 2. PB – Lonjin 1. DP – DuBois 1 (N. Liddle and E. Liddle); Clearfield 2 (Jacobson and Redden; Fulmer, Danver and Redden). LOB – DuBois 10; Clearfield 5. 2B – Means; Jacobson. Sac – N. Liddle. SF – Means, Gregorio. SB – Sabados, Means, Smith, N. Liddle.
Pitching
DuBois – Kriner 6-1/3 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K; Bish 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Clearfield – Flanagan 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; Jacobson 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K; Zurat 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K.
HB – Flanagan 1 (Bish); Jacobson 1 (Means). WP – Bish 2.
W – Jacobson (1-0). L – Bish (0-1). Save -Zurat (1).
Umpires – Frank Germino (plate); Jeff Holter (bases).
