HYDE – The Clearfield Chiefs were limited to four hits by Punxsutawney hurlers Braedon Pennington and Jamie Bush in losing their Jefferson County Legion League regular season finale 10-1 at the Bison Sports Complex Thursday evening.
The two teams will meet again Tuesday in the first round of the JCL Playoffs.
Punxsy, runner-up to champion DuBois, will host the 6 p.m. game at Rich Kuntz Memorial Field.
Clearfield wound up third with a 9-7 record after its third on-the-field loss to Punxsy. The Chiefs did receive one win via forfeit.
Derek Danver accounted for three of the Post 6 team’s safeties, giving him seven consecutive hits in the last two games.
He slashed a double to right field and scored on Tyler Jacobson’s high fly double to deep right center in the first inning. Andrew Redden, who had walked, was cut down at the plate on the same play, leaving the Chiefs behind 2-1.
Punxsy continually expanded the margin after that.
Pennington led off the third inning by ripping a home run down the left field line. Tyler Skerkavich walked, advanced to third on two delayed steals and scored when Kyle Neal beat out a slow roller to third to make it 4-1.
Skerkavich, who had doubled in the visitors’ first two runs, walked to force in a run in the fourth frame.
Devan Neal cracked a two-run homer to left in the fifth and Kyler Kephart’s first start for the Chiefs ended when he issued his ninth walk to Dom Bevak. After Jacobson relieved, Taylor Neal delivered a two-out single to right center to send Bevak home.
Punxsy added a pair of unearned runs in the seventh on a walk, Taylor Neal’s infield hit and two Clearfield misplays.
Pennington got the win, striking out four and allowing three hits and one walk in five innings.
Bush pitched two shutout innings with four strikeouts. He walked one and gave up one hit.
EXTRA INNINGS – Kephart was making his third appearance on the mound in four days for the Chiefs and logged 87 pitches… Punxsy cashed six of its 12 walks into runs… The winners had a third run negated in the first inning when Skerkavich, on an appeal play, was called out for leaving third base too soon, costing Brodi Lowmaster a sacrifice fly… Each team had two double plays… Clearfield will take an overall record of 10-13-1 into the post-season.
PUNXSUTAWNEY — 10
Zak Dickey ss 2310, Jordan Mesoraco 2b 1100, Taylor Neal 3b 2121, Braedon Pennington p 3111, Jamie Bush p 1000, Tyler Skerkavich 1b 3113, Taylor Phillips 4f 1000, Joe Pisano dh 2000, Kyle Neal 3b-2b 3111, Brodi Lowmaster lf 2000, Devan Neal lf-cf 2122, Dom Bevak c 3100, Dane Baker cf 2010, Luke Janocha lf 2000. TOTALS: 30 10 9 8.
CLEARFIELD — 1
Kyle Kephart p-1b 4000, Derek Danver ss 3130, Andrew Redden c 2000, Tyler Jacobson 3b-p 2011, Cole Kephart 2b 3000, Steve Miller rf 3000, Shane Harper cf 3000, Ronny Ogden lf 3000, Jon Janocko 1b-3b 2000, Christian Stone 3b 1000. TOTALS: 26 1 4 1.
Score by Innings
Punxsutawney 202 130 2 – 10 9 3
Clearfield 100 000 0 – 1 4 6
Errors – Mesoraco, K. Neal 2; Danver 2, Jacobson, C. Kephart, Stone 2. PB – Redden 1. DP – Punxsutawney 2 (Baker, Dickey and Bevak; Dickey and Skerkavich); Clearfield 2 (Harper, Janocko and Jacobson; Danver and Janocko). LOB – Punxsutawney 11; Clearfield 6. 2B – Skerkavich; Danver, Jacobson. HR – Pennington, D. Neal. SB – T. Neal, Skerkavich 2, K. Neal. CS – Dickey (by Redden).
Pitching
Punxsutawney – Pennington 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K; Bush 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
Clearfield – K. Kephart 4+ IP (faced 3 batters in 5th), 6 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 9 BB, 3 K; Jacobson 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K.
WP – Jacobson 1.
W – Pennington. L – K. Kephart (0-1).
Umpires – Mark Michelucci (plate) and J.R. Rosselli (bases).
