CLEARFIELD – Homer City move into the American Legion Region 7 Tournament championship semifinal by edging Claysburg 8-6 in an elimination bracket game at the Lawrence Township Recreation Park Field Tuesday afternoon.
The Indiana County League champions bounce back from their first post-season loss in six games to set their record at 18-9 for Wednesday’s rematch with Clearfield (20-14), which stunned State College 6-5.
The winner then will go against State College (33-8) for the Region 7 title and a trip to the state tourney that begins Tuesday in Boyertown.
GAME 12
Scott Harsh lofted a three-run homer over the left center fence in the bottom of the first inning to jump-start Homer City’s win.
Homer City scored all of its runs in the first two frames, and Eric Cusimano made them stand up with a 151-pitch complete game.
The right-hander started and finished strong, allowing six of eight hits during Claysburg’s three-run rallies in the fourth and sixth.
After Claysburg (22-4) made it close on Christian Lamont’s two-run double and Ryan Slagenweit’s RBI-groundout, Cusimano slammed the door with the help of a crucial pickoff by catcher Ty Holderman and a double play in the ninth inning.
A walk and Dane Diehl’s swinging bunt for a hit raised Claysburg’s hopes, but Holderman threw behind Slagenweit at second for the first out. Then, with Diehl running, Homer City second baseman Matt Stewart broke for the bag and was there to grab Cody Swope’s one-hopper for an easy twinkilling that sent the Cambria County League champs home.
Cusimano struck out five and walked eight.
Two of Homer City’s four runs in the first were unearned because of three Claysburg errors.
The four-spot in the second was not tainted as Tim Kinter and Harsh singled for RBIs before Holderman hammered his fourth home run of the tourney to left field.
Evan Bencic singled twice for the winners.
Claysburg wasted an outstanding relief effort by southpaw Jared Baird, who hurled six shutout innings with nine strikeouts and no walks after replacing loser Cody Swope. He surrendered only three hits.
Trent Forshey doubled across two runs and scored on Baird’s single for Claysburg in the fourth inning.
Claysburg 000 303 000 – 6 8 3
Homer City 440 000 00x – 8 9 0
Cody Swope, Jared Baird (3) and Zach Morrow; Eric Cusimano and Ty Holderman.
W – Cusimano. L – Swope.
2 Hits – Evan Bencic, Scott Harsh (HC).
HR – Harsh, Ty Holderman (HC). 2B – Trent Forshey, Christian Lamont (C).
RBI – Forshey 2, Lamont 2, Baird, Ryan Slagenweit (C); Harsh 4, Holderman 2, Tim Kinter (HC).
