WILLIAMSPORT – Heather Picard shut out Williamsport for six innings and Clearfield dented home plate in four different frames for a 6-3 Central Penn Softball League win at Elm Park Monday afternoon.
The Lady Bisons backed their freshman pitcher with perfect defense.
“No errors, that was the difference,” coach Bob Dixon stated after his team raised its record to 4-5.
He added, “Our outfield did a great job.”
All three outfielders made outstanding catches, B.J Bowman taking home runs away from two Lady Millionaires and Janell Zalno and Makayla Ebeling running down gap shots to prevent extra base hits.
Bowman made perhaps the biggest play of the game in the bottom of the first after Lady Bison Melinda Owens had doubled and scored on an error in the top of the inning.
The sophomore center fielder ranged back to the fence and jumped to rob Maura Rose of a three-run homer.
Two innings later, Bowman blasted a two-run homer, her second in as many games, to stake Picard to a 3-0 lead.
Dixon said the towering fly ball easily cleared the temporary fence and one-hopped the permanent fence 285 feet from home plate.
Bowman walked and scored on Makenzie Moore’s single in the fifth.
A two-out Williamsport miscue gave Clearfield its final two runs in the seventh. Suzie Colesar doubled and Moore walked prior to the hosts’ fourth error.
Dominque Thomas then broke up Picard’s shutout with a leadoff home run.
Two outs later, a single by Kelsey Harris and two walks loaded the bases for Abbi Miller, who singled for two RBIs.
Rose represented the tying run, but Picard got her to ground out to first base.
“She battled,” Dixon said of his hurler, who struck out six and allowed eight hits and three walks.
Miller had three hits for Williamsport, 3-6 overall but 0-4 in the CPL.
Clearfield, 2-4 in the league will put its three-game winning streak on the line Wednesday when St. Marys visits the Bison Sports Complex for a CPL and District 9 Northern Allegany League Big School Division game.
CLEARFIELD — 6
Melinda Owens ss 4110, Janell Zalno lf 4110, B.J. Bowman cf 3222, Suzie Colesar 1b 4110, Makenzie Moore c 2111, Chantel Read 2b 4000, Mia Keener 3b 4010, Rachel Cordon dp 4000, Makayla Ebeling rf 3010, Heather Picard p (flex) 0000. TOTALS: 32 6 8 3.
WILLIAMSPORT — 3
Brooke Pompeo 3b 3110, Haley Benshaw lf 3010, Abbi Miller ss 4032, Maura Rose c 3000, Dru Heller dp-1b (flex) 1010, Dominique Thomas rf 3111, Sarah Baker p 2000, Melissa Wenzel p 1000, Brynne Buchner 2b 3000, Kelsey Harris cf 3110, Courtney Baer 1b-dp (flex) 1000. TOTALS: 28 3 8 3.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 102 010 2 – 6 8 0
Williamsport 000 000 3 – 3 8 4
Errors – Pompeo, Buchner 2, Baer. PB – Rose. DP – Clearfield (Bowman and Owens). LOB – Clearfield 8; Williamsport 7. 2B – Owens, Colesar. HR – Bowman (2); Thomas. Sac – Heller. SB – Bowman 2.
Pitching
Clearfield – Picard 7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K.
Williamsport – Baker 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K; Wenzel 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.
W – Picard (4-3). L – Baker (2-3).
