PUNXSUTAWNEY – The Clearfield American Legion Post 6 Chiefs wasted another strong mound performance by Corey Bookhamer Tuesday evening as they suffered their first loss of the season.
The Chiefs out-hit Punxsutawney 11-3 but stranded 11 runners, and all of their errors occurred in the two innings the hosts scored en route to a 5-3 win with first place in the Jefferson County Legion at stake at Rich Kuntz Memorial Field.
Three of the runs Bookhamer surrendered were unearned. He struck out four and walked one in the route-going effort.
Clearfield, 3-1 overall with the left-hander owning every decision, fell to 2-1 in the league.
Punxsy, which remained unbeaten, picked up two tainted runs in the first inning on Kyle Neal’s single, Jordan Mesoraco’s misplayed fly ball and Dane Kopas’ groundout.
In the third frame, Braedon Pennington doubled to drive in Zak Dickey, who had walked and advanced on a stolen base. Pennington stopped at third on Neal’s second hit and scored on an error as Neal attempted a delayed steal. A miscue on a grounder by Kopas gave Punxsy its fifth run.
Bookhamer retired the final 11 batters he faced, but the damage had been done.
The Chiefs broke through against starter and winner Joe Pisano in the fourth inning when Chad Zurat tripled and Kyler Kephart singled. Two outs later, Jarrett Fulmer singled and Kyle Timchak walked to load the bases, but Pisano induced a flyout that upped Clearfield’s LOB total to eight.
In the fifth, Bookhamer greeted reliever Dylan Kachmar with a double, and Zurat walked with one out. After Punxsy’s lone miscue on a double play attempt gave the Chiefs one run, Tyler Jacobson doubled for an RBI.
Aided by a DP in the sixth, Kyle Neal worked two scoreless innings for the save, striking out three and giving up one hit and one walk.
Kephart had three hits for Clearfield. Fulmer and Zurat added two apiece.
The Chiefs will play their home opener against Reynoldsville Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Bison Sports Complex.
CLEARFIELD — 3
Jarrett Fulmer ss 3010, Luke Peterson 2b 0000, Kyle Timchak dh 2010, Andy Redden c 4010, Troy Danver c 0000, Corey Bookhamer p 4110, Justin Hoffman rf 3000, Justyn Knepp rf 1000, Chad Zurat cf 3120, Kyler Kephart 1b, 4131, Tyler Jacobson 3b 4011, Shane Harper lf 2000, Ronny Ogden ph 1000. TOTALS: 31 3 11 2.
PUNXSUTAWNEY — 5
Joe Pisano p 0000, Dylan Kachmar p-2b 0000, Braedon Pennington dh 3111, Kyle Neal 2b-p 3220, Jordan Mesoraco lf 3100, Dane Kopas rf 2001, Taylor Neal rf 1000, Tyler Skerkavich 1b 2000, Tommy Bush 1b 1000, Tyler Wingard 3b 2000, Devan Neal rf 1000, Jacob Stumpf cf 2000, Spencer Levy c 2000, Dom Bevak c 0000, Zak Dickey ss 1100. TOTALS: 23 5 3 2.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 000 120 0 – 3 11 4
Punxsutawney 203 000 x – 5 3 1
Errors – Fulmer 2, Redden, Harper; Dickey. PB – Levy 1. DP – Punxsutawney 1 (T. Neal, Kachmar and Dickey). LOB – Clearfield 11; Punxsutawney 1. 2B – Redden, Bookhamer, Kephart, Jacobson; Pennington. 3B – Zurat. SB – Zurat, Kephart 2; K. Neal, Dickey.
Pitching
Clearfield – Bookhamer 6 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
Punxsutawney – Pisano 4 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K; Kachmar 1+ IP (faced 1 batter in 6th), 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K; K. Neal 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.
HB – Kachmar 2 (Fulmer, Zurat). WP – Kachmar 1.
W – Pisano. L – Bookhamer (3-1). Save – K. Neal.
