HOMER CITY – Scott Harsh’s second home run of the game, a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning, lifted Homer City to a 9-8 interleague win over Clearfield Sunday afternoon.
Â
Harsh had two home runs and five RBIs for the Indiana County League team that features many players from the PIAA District 6 Class A champions who lost in the state semifinals to eventual runner-up Serra Catholic.
Â
An all-too-familiar scenario proved costly for the Chiefs, who dipped to 9-5 in the Jefferson County League and 11-8 overall with their third loss in two days.
Â
They left a dozen runners on base and were guilty of misplays resulting in six unearned runs that pinned the second loss on Corey Bookhamer.
Â
The southpaw, who very well could have been working on a shutout in the sixth, gave up nine hits, walked one and hit one. He posted seven strikeouts.
Â
All of Homer Center’s gift runs came in the first two innings, Harsh’s two-run homer capping the three-run second.
Â
Manager Sid Lansberry’s Chiefs fought back, though, getting a boost from Matt Wilden’s wildness in the third frame.
Â
The Homer City (9-6) starter walked Tyler Jacobson and Derrick Snyder and hit Troy Danver to force in runs.
Â
Clearfield tied it in the fourth when Bookhamer doubled home one run and Jacobson singled in a pair and went in front 8-6 in the fifth on RBI-singles by Kyle Timchak and Bookhamer off reliever Matt Stewart.
Â
However, Harsh came through with his game-winning blow in the sixth to make Stewart the winner.
Â
Clearfield wound up with eight hits, three by Bookhamer and two by Timchak, plus seven walks and four hit batsman, but stranded at least two runners in five at-bats.
Â
The Chiefs will finish 3-1 in JCL’s first season of interleague action unless a suspended game with Marion Center is completed. They led 3-0 when rain halted the June 19 contest in the fifth inning.
Â
Clearfield will play its ninth game in eight days Monday, visiting DuBois for a 6 p.m. start at Showers Field.
Â
Jefferson County League – DuBois 11-0, Punxsutawney 10-3, Clearfield 9-5, Brookville 3-10, Reynoldsville 2-13.
Â
CLEARFIELD — 8
Â
Jarrett Fulmer ss 4210, Kyle Timchak rf 4221, Corey Bookhamer p 5131, Andrew Redden c 4110, Tyler Jacobson 3b 3013, Derrick Snyder 1b 2001, Troy Danver cf 1011, Luke Peterson 2b 4100, Ronny Ogden lf 3000, Steve Miller ph 0000. TOTALS: 30 8 9 7.
Â
HOMER CITY — 9
Â
Cody Trabert rf 4100, Jordan Long lf 3210, Dylan George ph 1000, Scott Harsh ss 4325, Eric Cusimano 3b 4121, Ty Holderbaum c 4011, Matt Wilden p-2b 0000, Evan Bencic dh 1001, Matt Stewart 2b 2010, Josh Goldberg 1b 3010, Zach Davis cf 3210. TOTALS: 29 9 9 8.
Â
Score by Innings
Â
Clearfield      003 320 0 – 8 9 3
Homer City    330 003 x – 9 9 0
Â
Errors – Fulmer 2, Jacobson. PB – Redden. LOB – Clearfield 12; Homer City 5. 2B – Bookhamer; Cusimano. HR – Harsh 2. SF – Bencic.
Â
Pitching
Â
Clearfield – Bookhamer 6 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K.
Homer City – Wilden 4 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 6 K; Stewart 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K.
HB – Bookhamer 1 (Stewart); Wilden 2 (Fulmer, Danver); Stewart 2 (Danver, Miller). WP – Bookhamer 1; Wilden 1.
W – Stewart. L – Bookhamer (5-2).