PUNXSUTAWNEY – After scoring a run in the first inning, Wise Eyes of Clearfield had to play catch-up the rest of the way against Punxsutawney in the opener of the VFW Teener Area VI 15-and-16 Tournament at Rich Kuntz Memorial Field Friday evening.
Wise Eyes was unable to overtake Punxsutawney and came out on the short end of a 7-6 squeaker, dropping into the elimination bracket for a 3 p.m. game against Curwensville Saturday.
The survivor will advance to the elimination bracket final under the lights at eight o’clock against the loser of the Philipsburg-Punxsy winner’s bracket final which is slated for 5:30.
Wise Eyes broke on top as Sawyer Rowles walked and scored on Jon Janocko’s single, but the hosts answered with two runs on three hits, including run-scoring doubles by Bryson Paulinellie and Michael Klingensmith.
Punxsy increased its lead to 5-1 in the second with Matt Burkett and Dakota Thomas sandwiching singles around a triple by Dakota Byers for two runs. Thomas then stole second and third and scored on Paulinellie’s groundout.
Wise Eyes turned it into a one-run game in its next two at bats.
Curtis Collins drew a walk and raced all the way around the bases when Josh Kennedy’s hit was misplayed in the outfield. After Janocko singled, Cole Kephart’s grounder got Kennedy home.
In the fourth inning, Josh Sorbera walked and courtesy runner Kaleb Taylor scored on a passed ball after advancing to third base on a single by Rowles.
Punxsy came right back with what proved to be two big insurance runs off Summers, who had relieved starter and loser Janocko in the second frame.
Klingensmith, who had three hits, singled with the bases loaded for one run, and Kory Geer followed with a sacrifice fly.
Wise Eyes made it close again in the sixth with Kephart’s RBI single and an error that enabled Janocko to score.
Wyatt Westen and Devin Jones kept Punxsy off the board by matching one-hit innings, but Wise Eyes went down in order in the seventh against Klingensmith, who worked the last three frames to register a save.
Paulinellie got the win, whiffing seven and walking six in four innings. He gave up four hits and three earned runs.
Janocko had two of the Clearfield team’s seven hits.
Klingensmith’s three safeties and two RBIs led Punxsy, while Faulk and Paulinellie added two hits apiece.
CLEARFIELD — 6
Sawyer Rowles cf 4-1-1-0, Curtis Collins lf 3-2-1-0, Devin Jones p 0-0-0-0, Josh Kennedy 3b 4-1-1-0, Jon Janocko p 3-1-2-1, Kaleb Taylor 1b 0-0-0-0, Cole Kephart ss 3-0-1-2, Wyatt Westen 1b-lf 4-0-1-1, Spencer Herrington 2b 2-0-0-0, Noah Cline 2b 0-0-0-0, Zach Timchak rf 1-0-0-0, Thomas Summers dh-p 3-0-0-0, Josh Sorbera c 1-1-0-0, Jonas Kochan c 1-0-0-0. TOTALS: 30-6-7-4.
PUNXSUTAWNEY — 7
Anthony Faulk cf 3-2-2-0, Bryson Paulinellie p-2b 3-2-2-2, Clayton Dale c 2-0-0-0, Christian Falgout lf 2-0-0-0, Michael Klingensmith 2b-p 3-0-3-2, Kory Geer 1b 2-0-0-1, Matt Burkett 3b 3-1-1-0, Ruben Taylor rf 0-0-0-0, Dakota Byers rf 3-1-1-1, Brandon Blose 3b 1-0-0-0, Dakota Thomas ss 3-1-1-1. TOTALS: 25-7-10-7.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 102 102 0 – 6 7 1
Punxsutawney 230 200 x – 7 10 2
Errors – Kephart; Faulk, Falgout. PB – Dale 2. LOB – Clearfield 10; Punxsutawney 10. 2B – Paulinellie, Klingensmith. 3B – Byers. Sac – Dale. SF – Geer. SB – Faulk, Thomas 2.
Pitching
Clearfield – Janocko 1-2/3 IP,6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K; Summers 2-1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K; Westen 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; Jones 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Punxsutawney – Paulinellie 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 7 K; Klingensmith 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K.
WP – Paulinellie 1. PO – Summers 1 (Burkett).
W – Paulinellie. L – Janocko. Save – Klingensmith.