HYDE – Kyle Kephart blasted a grand slam, walk-off home run in the sixth inning and Ronny Ogden pitched a complete game to highlight an afternoon of firsts for the Clearfield Area High School baseball team in a 14-4 Mercy Rule victory over District 9 Class AAA rival Bradford at the Bison Sports Complex Tuesday.
Pinch-hitters Christian Flood and Matt Josephson reached base on the game’s lone error and a walk, respectively, and Jonas Kochan greeted Richie Cromley, the fourth Owl hurler, with a single to fill the sacks for Kephart, whose clout over the high fence in left field was his first at the varsity level.
“That’s pretty cool, a walk-off grand slam,” Clearfield coach Sid Lansberry said following his first game back on the bench after missing several games because of health issues. “That doesn’t happen too often.
“I’m happy for him. He’s become a good leadoff hitter for us. He gets on base a lot.”
The senior infielder’s homer punctuated a career game that included a double, a single and a walk in five trips to the plate as well as six runs driven in.
Ogden also had good reason to be flashing a big smile during the Bisons’ post-game celebration.
The senior right-hander’s second route-going effort produced his first varsity victory as he shook off a rocky start to blank the Owls over the last four innings.
After Bradford (1-10) tagged him for three hits in each of the first three frames, Ogden allowed only two more safeties and finished with a season-high six strikeouts.
He did not issue a walk, a first for a Bison hurler this season.
“I’m happy for Ronny because he’s been pitching pretty well, but the win has eluded him,” Lansberry said. “He’s been in every game he’s pitched.”
“He gave up some hits but he hung in there. Ronny definitely got stronger.”
And in his fifth start, Ogden was backed by a defense that was flawless. Another first for the Bisons this season.
“I think that was key,” Lansberry said. “Many of the games we lost this year is because we haven’t played good defense. We did today.”
Aided by six walks and two hit batsmen, Clearfield (4-9) piled up 13 hits to keep the pressure on the Bradford pitchers and changed the scoreboard in every inning.
Ogden, Thomas Summers and Coleman Kubala each had a pair of safeties for the Bisons.
They grabbed a 2-1 lead in the first inning when Summers rolled an RBI-single through the right side and Kubala lifted a sacrifice fly to right.
Bradford regained the lead at 4-2 in the second frame on Mike Wilber’s RBI-single and Aaron Fishkin’s home run to left center, but Clearfield again answered with two runs on two walks, Cole Kephart’s double that hopped over the left center fence and Tanner Ogden’s sac fly.
The Bisons broke the 4-4 tie and chased loser Dan Rinfrette with three runs in the third frame, Wyatt Westen getting the game-winning RBI with still another sacrifice fly and Kyler Kephart drilling his two-run double that bounced over the left center fence.
Ronny Ogden aided his own cause by doubling to set up Kubala’s run-scoring single in the fourth and singling up the middle for an RBI in the fifth after Tanner Ogden lashed a double inside third base that plated Cole Kephart.
Then, in the sixth, Kyler Kephart sent everybody home early.
Lansberry was pleased with his team all-around performance with the bats as well as the gloves.
“The whole lineup contributed,” he said. “We had a lot of key at-bats. Not just hits, but walks were important throughout the game.
“It’s a good win. We needed that. We had a rough week last week.”
The Bisons will host Tyrone Wednesday and Philipsburg-Osceola Friday in Mountain League Allegheny Division games.
The Clearfield junior varsity also recorded a walk-off win, 5-4, with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
After Spencer Herrington singled across the tying marker, Zach Timchak’s grounder chased home the deciding run.
Josh Kennedy had three hits for the Bisons, now 8-4, while Nate Brady was the winning pitcher.
BRADFORD — 4
Mike Wilber 3b 4111, Aaron Fishkin lf 3222, Hunter Dixon rf 3011, Nunzio Cavallero ss 3020, Dan Rinfrette p 3020, Colton Holzwarth 2b 3010, Sawyer Pacard c 3000, Anthony Zimbardi cf-p 2110, Jonnie Burke p 1010, Richie Cromley p 0000, John Panuso 1b 2000, Jon Sampson 1b 1000. TOTALS: 28 4 11 4.
CLEARFIELD — 14
Kyler Kephart 1b 4336, Cole Kephart 2b 2211, Tanner Ogden cf 3112, Ronny Ogden p 3121, Sawyer Rowles lf 0000, Thomas Summers dh 3021, Coleman Kubala 3b 3122, Curtis Collins rf 3110, Christian Flood ph 1100, Wyatt Westen ss 2001, Matt Josephson ph 0100, Jonas Kochan c 1210, Jon Janocko ph 1000. TOTALS: 26 14 13 14.
Score by Innings
Bradford       130 000 – 4 11 1
Clearfield      223 124 – 14 13 0
Errors – Wilber. PB – Pacard. LOB – Bradford 6; Clearfield 8. 2B – Rinfrette, Zimbardi; K. Kephart, C. Kephart. T. Ogden, R. Ogden. SF – T. Ogden, Kubala, Westen. SB – Fishkin; C. Kephart. CS – Cavallero (by Kochan).
Pitching
Bradford – Rinfrette 2-1/3 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 5 BB, 1 K; Smith 2-1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K; J. Burke 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K; Cromley 0+ IP (faced 2 batters in 7th), 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
Clearfield – R. Ogden 6 IP, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K.
HB – Rinfrette 1 (C. Kephart); Smith 1 (C. Kephart). WP – Rinfrette 1; R. Ogden 1.
W – R. Ogden (1-3). L – Rinfrette.
Umpires – Gary Kost (plate) and Lynn Gilham (bases).
Bison Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/23 | @ Norfolk Collegiate HS | 9 – 10 | 0 – 1 |
| 3/27 | BELLEFONTE | 13 – 15 | 0 – 2 |
| 3/30 | PENNS VALLEY | 3 – 1 | 1 – 2 |
| 4/02 | @ Punxsutawney | 6 – 12 | 1 – 3 |
| 4/04 | HUNTINGDON | 18 – 14 | 2 – 3 |
| 4/09 | CENTRAL | 13 – 16 | 2 – 4 |
| 4/11 | @ Tyrone | 0 – 3 | 2 – 5 |
| 4/13 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola | 8 – 12 | 2 – 6 |
| 4/16 | CENTRAL MOUNTAIN | 3 – 10 | 2 – 7 |
| 4/20 | @ Bald Eagle Area | 7 – 4 | 3 – 7 |
| 4/23 | JUNIATA | ppd. | 3 – 7 |
| 4/25 | @ Huntingdon | 4 – 6 | 3 – 8 |
| 4/27 | @ Central | 11 – 21 | 3 – 9 |
| 5/01 | BRADFORD | 14 – 4 | 4 – 9 |
| 5/02 | TYRONE | Â | Â |
| 5/04 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA | Â | Â |
