CLEARFIELD – After falling behind 2-1 in the first inning, the Clearfield Teener 13-and-14 All-Stars posted crooked numbers in four of their next five at-bats to turn back Curwensville 15-7 at the Lawrence Township Recreation Park Field Friday evening.
Logan Puit, Zach Krise and Cole Kephart combined for eight hits, seven runs and six runs batted in at the top of the order and C.J. Gathagan went the distance on the mound as the Jim’s Sports Center-sponsored team reached the halfway mark of the VFW Teener Tournament 2-1 and in contention for a trip to the state tournament later this month.
Clearfield snapped a 5-5 tie with three runs in the bottom of the fourth frame. Eric Sellers roped a key two-run single to right center after Krise scored the go-ahead marker when Josh Kennedy’s fly ball was misplayed.
Three more Jim’s runners crossed the plate in the fourth on Puit’s double down the left field line, Krise’s looper to left and Kephart’s two-bagger off the left field fence.
In the sixth, Curwensville (0-3) closed to within 11-7 on Tanner Elensky’s forceout and Jake Stiles’ infield single, but Clearfield answered with a four-spot to set the final.
The key hit was Puit’s fly ball that landed just inside the left field foul line and trickled out of play for a double and two of his three RBIs. The last two of Clearfield’s nine walks forced in the final run, Noah Cline picking up the RBI.
Clearfield also tallied four runs in the second with Josh Sorbera and Krise delivering RBI singles.
Puit and Krise each had three hits and scored three runs, while Kephart and Kyle Kushner chipped in two hits apiece.
Gathagan spiced his complete game eight-hitter with nine strikeouts, and he ended the game with a pick-off at first base.
The right-hander, who allowed only three earned runs, issued six walks and hit one batter.
Three players accounted for all but one of Curwensville’s safeties.
Johnathan Miller, who got the visitors off to a good start with a two-run single through the right side in the first inning, had three, including a double.
Elensky and Jake Terry added pairs of singles.
Stiles was the losing pitcher, surrendering 11 runs, five of them unearned, before being relieved in the fifth inning.
The double round-robin tourney continues next week with Clearfield’s final home game Monday against Punxsutawney, followed by road trips to Philipsburg Wednesday and Curwensville Friday.
In Friday’s other game, Punxsutawney (3-0) handed Philipsburg-Osceola (1-2) its second Mercy Rule loss, 22-1, in five innings.
CURWENSVILLE — 7
Jake Terry 2b 4220, Noah Strickland lf 3100, Tanner Elensky ss-cf 4122, Jake Stiles p-ss 2111, Seth Sloppy 1b 3000, Johnathan Miller c 4032, A.J. Bloom 3b 3000, Aryan Shearer eh 3000, Harrison Bloom cf-p-rf 3100, Trevor Anderson rf-p 3100. TOTALS: 32 7 8 5.
CURWENSVILLE — 15
Logan Puit 2b-3b 3333, Zach Krise rf-cf 5332, Cole Kephart ss 3121, Josh Kennedy 3b 4100, Noah Cline 2b 0001, Eric Sellers 1b 3012, Evan Brown pr 0100, Kyle Kushner lf 4120, Sawyer Rowles cf 4110, Jake Lansberry rf 0000, C.J. Gathagan p 1210, Logan Lykens dh 1000, Josh Sorbera c 2211, Dan Collins ph 1000. TOTALS: 31 15 14 10.
Score by Innings
Curwensville 202 102 0 – 7 8 4
Clearfield 140 334 x – 15 14 4
Errors – Strickland 2, Sloppy, Anderson; Puit 2, Kephart 2. DP – Curwensville 2 (Terry and Sloppy; Elensky, Terry and Sloppy). LOB – Curwensville 11, Clearfield 8. 2B – Miller; Puit 2, Kephart. SB – Elensky; Krise 2, Gathagan 2.
Pitching
Curwensville -Stiles 4-2/3 IP, 11 H, 11 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 3 K; H. Bloom 2/3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; Anderson 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
Clearfield – Gathagan 7 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 9 K.
HB – H. Bloom 1 (Sorbera); Gathagan 1 (Sloppy). WP – Stiles 6, Bloom 2; Gathagan 1. PO – Gathagan 1 (Shearer).
W – Gathagan (1-1). L – Stiles (0-2).
Umpires – Mark Michelucci (plate) and Hank Wilson (bases).
