CLEARFIELD — The Clearfield Little League 11-and-12 All-Stars piled up 13 hits and scored in every inning except the third to pin a 15-7 defeat on Milesburg in their District 5 Tournament opener at McNamee Field Sunday evening.
The hosts lost the coin toss that determined the home team, but that was all, as they grabbed a quick 2-0 lead on Caleb Freeland’s two-run single to right center field and then took control with a seven-run outburst in the second inning.
After Harrison Peacock was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Jeremy Learish laced a single to center field for two runs, Eli Glass followed with a double to right center for two more and, one out later, Jude Pallo doubled to left for two RBIs.
Clearfield advances to a winner’s bracket quarterfinal at Philipsburg Tuesday in the new-look district format, which still is a double-elimination tourney but no longer features a Northern Tier and a Southern Tier. However, teams from the North and South won’t meet until the finals in the winner’s bracket and the quarterfinals in the elimination bracket.
Every Clearfield starter crossed home plate against Milesburg, and eight got into the hit column, with Nathan Barr collecting three and Glass, Freeland and Wyatt Porter socking two apiece. Hayden Williams and Ryan Chew cracked two-baggers.
Learish and Freeland each had three RBIs.
Glass pitched three innings to log the win, striking out three and walking two. He gave up five hits and two earned runs.
Learish relieved and had four strikeouts and two walks, allowing six hits and five runs in 2-2/3 frames before giving way to Harrison Peacock for the final out.
For Milesburg, Drew Bucha had a pair of run-scoring singles and Nicholas Laird belted a solo home run.
Garrett Giedroc, Dylan Bisel and Mikey Habovick chipped in with two singles apiece.
Milesburg, which never got closer than five runs after Clearfield’s big inning, will get a home game Tuesday against Curwensville, which lost 11-0 to Philipsburg.
CLEARFIELD — 15
Nathan Barr 3b-1b 5230, Harrison Peacock ss-p 2201, Jeremy Learish 1b-p-ss 3213, Eli Glass p-3b 4222, Caleb Freeland lf-2b-lf 2223, Wyatt Porter c 4121, Jude Pallo cf 4112, Hayden Williams 2b 2211, Andrew Lopez lf 0000, Ryan Chew rf 2111, Trae Kitko ph-rf 2000. TOTALS: 30 15 13 14.
MILESBURG — 7
Garrett Giedroc ss-p 4121, Dubbs 3b 3100, Dylan Bisel p-rf 2220, Kael Gardner 1b-p-ss 4010, Drew Bucha c 4022, Jayden Jones 2b 3110, Mikey Habovick cf 4121, Lakhota Heverly rf-1b 1000, Nicholas Laird 1b 1111, Aaron Skirtich lf 1000, Cody Armstrong lf 2000. TOTALS: 29 7 11 5.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 270 213 – 15 13 1
Milesburg 011 410 – 7 11 4
E – Glass; Bisel 2, Jones, Habovick. DP – Milesburg 1 (Dubbs unassisted). LOB – Clearfield 6; Milesburg 9. 2B – Glass, Williams, Chew. HR – Laird. SF – Learish.
Pitching
Clearfield – Glass 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; Learish 2-2/3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K; Peacock 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
Milesburg – Bisel 2+ IP, 5 H, 9 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K; Gardner 3-1/3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K; Giedroc 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
HB – Learish 1 (Dubbs); Bisel 2 (Peacock, Learish); Gardner 2 (Peacock, Freeland).
W – Glass (1-0). L – Bisel (0-1).
Umpires – Mark Michelucci (plate) and Todd Walters (bases).