HYDE — The Clearfield American Legion Post 6 baseball team suffered its third shutout loss of the Central Penn League season Wednesday evening as a trio of pitchers collaborated on a six-hitter in State College’s 9-0 victory at the Bison Sports Complex.
Spencer Herrington had two singles and Zach Timchak added a double for the Chiefs, who remain winless after six games.
Clearfield’s biggest threat came in the fifth inning when Josh Kennedy drilled a single to left field, Josh Sorbera walked and Herrington beat out a grounder to the left side, loading the bases with one out.
However Sam Plfacan, the third State College hurler, induced an infield pop-up and then got a big assist from center fielder Derek VanHorn, who robbed Cole Kephart of an extra base hit with an outstanding running grab on the high drive to straightaway center.
Ben Finlan got the ‘W’ with a 1-2-3 fourth inning after relieving Zach Smeal, who gave up a hit in each of his three trips to the mound.
State College (2-0) collected eight hits, including pairs of singles by Caleb Walls and Joe Bergman, and scored in every inning except the second.
The visitors were aided by four Clearfield errors, five walks, four hit batsmen and two wild pitches, which occurred with runners at third base.
Ronny Ogden was tagged with the loss, pitching into the fifth inning and surrendering seven hits and six runs, three earned.
Control problems cost Devin Jones three runs in the sixth, one on a wild pitch and two on bases-loaded walks.
Thomas Summers logged the final out after walking in the final run, and the game was halted because of darkness.
Clearfield outfielders Wyatt Westen and Kyler Kephart collided when they converged on Tyler Hall’s fly ball to right center with two outs in the third inning, and both players had to exit the game in later innings. Kephart was able to make the catch on the play.
The Chiefs will travel to Cooperstown, N.Y., Friday to play Bradford in a non-league game before touring the Baseball Hall of Fame.
They will host Mifflin County in CPL action Saturday at 5 p.m. at the BSC.
STATE COLLEGE — 9
Caleb Walls rf 3320, Derek VanHorn cf 4111, Sam Plafcan lf-p 2101, Ben Ripka 3b 3111, Kenny Craig ss 3200, Tyler Hall 2b 3001, Jon Bergman c 3021, Nick Harner 1b 1111, Zach Smeal p 0000, Ben Finlan p 0000, Harrison Walls dh 3000, Alex Chertow lf 1000. TOTALS: 36 9 8 6.
CLEARFIELD — 0
Spencer Herrington 2b 3020, Brandon Orsich 2b 0000, Curtis Collins lf 3000, Cole Kephart ss 3000, Kyler Kephart rf 2000, Zach Timchak rf 1010, Thomas Summers 1b-p 3000, Ronny Ogden p 2010, Devin Jones p 0000, Kaleb Taylor 1b 1000, Wyatt Westen cf 3000, Josh Kennedy 3b 2010, Erik Sellers 3b 0000, Josh Sorbera c 1010. TOTALS: 24 0 6 0.
Score by Innings
State College 102 123 – 9 8 0
Clearfield 000 000 – 0 6 4
E – Herrington, C. Kephart, K. Kephart 2. LOB – State College 9; Clearfield 7. 2B – Ripka; Timchak. 3B – VanHorn. SB – Walls 3, Plafcan.
Pitching
State College – Smeal 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K; Finlan 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K; Plafcan 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Clearfield – Ogden 4-2/3 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K; Jones 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K; Summers 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
HB – Ogden 3 (Ripka, Harner 2); Jones (Plafcan). WP – Smeal 2; Ogden 1, Jones 1.
W – Finlan. L – Ogden (0-2).