HYDE – The Clearfield Lady Bison bats heated up on a raw Wednesday afternoon when the wind chill factor made it so cold many players took their positions in the field wearing sweaters or jackets.
A season-high 11 hits translated into a season-high in runs and a 10-2 victory over Brookville in District 9 Northern Allegany Big School Division action at the Bison Sports Complex.
B.J. Bowman crushed a pair of two-run homers, McKenzie Moore ripped a career-high three hits, Mikayla Ebeling drove in three runs with two sharp singles and Janell Zalno chipped in two solid singles.
“We hit the ball well, and we’ve been working on that,” coach Bob Dixon noted after Clearfield reeled in its fifth consecutive win with Heather Picard hurling a seven-hitter highlighted by 10 strikeouts.
He added, “We jumped on them early and that gave us a little confidence.”
After Lady Raider Brianne Dietrich kept two Lady Bisons in scoring position with a pair of strikeouts to end the first inning, Clearfield capitalized on two errors to grab a 5-0 lead in the second.
Senior Baillie Davis made her first career hit count, driving in Ebeling with a hard grounder into left field and then scoring on a throwing error on Melinda Owens’ slow roller down the first base line. Zalno’s liner to center made it 3-0 before Bowman launched a homer high over the left center field fence.
Two more career firsts produced a run in the third. Moore doubled to left, her first extra base hit, and Ebeling singled through the right side for her first RBI.
Brookville (4-4, 0-3 D9NAL) cut the margin to 6-2 with singletons in the fourth and fifth frames. Kirsten Gordon scored the first run after reaching base on Clearfield’s lone miscue and drove in the second with her second hit.
Only one other Lady Raider advanced to second base in the other five innings as Picard caught eight batters looking at strike three.
“All in all, Heather threw a nice game,” Dixon said. “And we played some defense.”
Few home runs have jumped out of the Bison Sports Complex like Bowman’s laser to center in the sixth after Zalno had lashed a single to left.
That shot gave the sophomore slugger a fourth consecutive multi-hit game, with totals of 10 safeties, four homers and eight RBIs.
Two errors around Moore’s single gave Ebeling another RBI opportunity, and she took advantage by drilling a single for the final two runs.
“She’s been a good addition since we brought her up,” Dixon said of his freshman right fielder.
At 6-5, the Lady Bisons are above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2008 season.
“That’s a good thing,” Dixon said. “The girls are playing better and they’re getting more confident.
“Hopefully, we can keep up the good work.”
Clearfield, 2-2 in the D9NAL, is booked for three games in as many days next week, hosting DuBois Monday and Hollidaysburg Tuesday before traveling to Bradford Wednesday.
See photos of the game at: http://www.ladybisonsports.org/lbsSBall042810.html
BROOKVILLE — 2
Brianne Dietrich p 4110, Brynna Hetrick cf 4010, Shannon Shaffer 2b 3010, Kirsten Gordon c 3121, Sam Rakovan 3b 3010, Chey Ross rf 3010, Abby Beatty 1b 2001, Stacy Jordan lf 2000, Logan Snell lf 1000, Stefany Alexander ss 2000, Markelle Prueter ph 1000. TOTALS: 28 2 7 2.
CLEARFIELD — 10
Melinda Owens ss 3110, Janell Zalno lf 4221, B.J. Bowman cf 4224, Suzie Colesar 1b 4100, McKenzie Moore c 4230, Mia Keener 3b 3000, Mikayla Ebeling rf 3123, Destiny Kanouff 2b 4000, Baillie Davis dp 3110, Heather Picard p (flex) 0000. TOTALS: 32 10 11 9.
Score by Innings
Brookville 000 110 0 – 2 7 6
Clearfield 051 004 x – 10 11 1
Errors -Hetrick, Shaffer, Rakovan 2, Beatty, Alexander; Owens. PB – Moore 1. DP – Clearfield 1 (Moore and Owens). LOB – Brookville 6; Clearfield 7. 2B – Zalno, Moore 2. HR – Bowman 2 (No. 3, No. 4). CS – Ross (by Moore).
Pitching
Brookville – Dietrich 6 IP, 11 H, 10 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K.
Clearfield – Picard 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K.
WP – Dietrich 2.
W – Picard (6-3). L – Dietrich (4-4).
Umpires – J.R. Rosselli (plate); Sam Bevak (bases).