CLEARFIELD — Despite being down 4-0 after just six Brookville Raiders batted in the top of the first inning, the Clearfield Bisons managed to earn a hard fought 10-5 victory and climb above .500 for the year, with one regular season game remaining,  at nine wins and eight losses.
Brookville only roughed up senior starter Chad Zurat during that first inning. After giving up five hits and those four runs, Zurat only allowed one run and four hits the rest of the way. Zurat picked up his team leading fifth win against no losses as the Bisons raised their District 9 Northern Allegany League Big School Division record to 6-3; while Brookville dipped to 7-11 for the season, 2-7 in the D9 NAL.
The Bisons bounced back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first to only be down one 4-3. After an out Justin Hoffman singled and Andrew Redden doubled to put the Bisons in business. Junior shortstop Derek Danver then ripped a double over the center fielder’s head for two runs, then scored when Garrett Samsel dropped one in front of the center fielder with two outs.
After a couple of scoreless innings for each team the Bisons were able to tie the score with an unearned run in the fourth and then chase Brookville starter Jared Heschke when they batted around and plated five runs in the fifth.
Hoffman once again got things started for Clearfield as he led off the fifth with a walk and then scored when Redden deposited an 0-2 pitch over the left field fence for his fifth home run of the season and a 6-4 Bison lead. Danver was then hit by a pitch and was advanced to second by Zurat’s sacrifice bunt. After Samsel worked Heschke for a full-count walk and the second out was recorded, pinch hitter Isaac Butler delivered a clutch single on the first pitch that he saw to drive in Danver. Number nine hitter Steve Miller also singled to drive in pinch runner Wil Beauseigneur to set the score at 9-4 after five.
Zurat, who finished the day with 12 strike outs and one harmless walk, allowed one run in the sixth but had a three-up, three-down inning in the seventh to end it.
Clearfield will go on the road Friday to face Altoona, a team that has beaten the Bisons twice on the season already. They will then head to the District 9 AAA playoffs next week versus a team and place yet to be determined.
Brookville — 5
Seth Conner ss 3111, Ethan Harmon lf 3000, Garrett Weaver dh 3111, Chase Lyle 3b-p-3b 0000, Jared Heschke p-3b-1b 4120, Zane Hackett 1b-p 4112, Brock Bietz rf 3011, Dakota Singleton c 2000, Brandon Brownlee ph 1000, Tyler Dombroski 2b 3110, Pat Oroman cf 3020, Totals 29 AB 5 R 9 H 5 RBI
Clearfield — 10
Jarrrett Fulmer 2b 2001, Justin Hoffman rf 3210, Andrew Redden 1b 4222, Derek Danver ss 3322, Chad Zurat p 2010, Garrett Samsel lf 2011, Wil Beauseigneuer pr 0100, Matt Lonjin c 3111, Luke Peterson 3b 2000, Isaac Butler ph 1111, Steve Miller dh 3021, Shane Harper cf 1000, Totals 26 AB 10 r 11 H 9 RBI
Score by Innings
Brookville 400 001 0Â 5Â 9Â 2
Clearfield  300 151 x 10 11 1
Errors – Lyle, Heschke; Hoffman. LOB – Brookville 6, Clearfield 8. 2B – Conner, Hackett; Redden, Danver. HR – Redden (5). Sac – Fulmer, Zurat. SB – Bietz.
Pitching
Brookville – Heschke 4.1 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 HB (Danver); Lyle .2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K; Hackett 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K 1 HB (Lonjin).
Clearfield – Zurat 7 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 12 K
WP – Zurat (5-0), LP – Heschke
