LEWISTOWN — Lucas McKay pitched a four-hitter and batterymate Cy Treaster came through with three run-scoring hits as Mifflin County turned back Clearfield 5-1 in the opening round of the 2013 Central Penn American Legion League Playoffs Friday evening.
The Chiefs, who will take on Altoona at Drost Field near Bellwood in a 2 p.m. elimination bracket game Saturday, didn’t spoil McKay’s shutout bid until the seventh inning.
Walks to Josh Kennedy and pinch-hitter Kaleb Taylor sandwiched Brandon Orsich’s second single to fill the bases. Logan Lykens, another pinch-hitter, chased in Kennedy with a single, but McKay closed it out with his fourth strikeout and a double play he started on a come-backer.
Only two Clearfield (5-17-1) runners reached second base while McKay was cruising along through the first six innings.
In the third, Devin Jones walked and Curtis Collins singled with one out, but the Mifflin County infield turned a double play.
In the fifth, Orsich reached base on a the winners’ lone error and was stranded there because of a popup, a groundout and a flyout.
Losing hurler Ronny Ogden went the distance, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs. He struck out three batters, walked one and hit one.
Treaster drove in runs with hits in the second, fourth and sixth innings. He had one of Mifflin County’s four doubles.
Kyle Bodtorf and Heath Hidlay had the other RBIs.
Mifflin County, which was the No. 1 seed with 14 wins, will be at home Saturday against State College, which edged Beech Creek 3-2.
The other winner’s bracket game will send Philipsburg to DuBois, which beat Altoona. Philipsburg defeated Clarence 6-1.
CLEARFIELD — 1
Curtis Collins cf 4010, Spencer Herrington 2b 3000, Thomas Summers 1b 1000, Erik Sellers 1b 1000, Ronny Ogden p 2000, Josh Kennedy 3b 2100, Brandon Orsich ss 3020, Josh Sorbera c 2000, Kaleb Taylor ph 0000, Zach Timchak rf 2000, Logan Lukens ph 1011, Devin Jones lf 2000. TOTALS: 23 1 4 1.
MIFFLIN COUNTY — 5
Kyle Bodtorf cf 3011, Isaac Strohecker 2b 3110, Heath Hidlay ss 011, Lucas McKay p 3000, Hayden Snook 3b 2010, Drew Hannon 1b 3210, Cy Treaster c 3033, Jake Larson lf 2110, Andy Michaels rf 3110. TOTALS: 26 5 10 5.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 000 000 1 – 1 4 1
Mifflin County 011 111 x – 5 10 1
E – Summers; Hidlay. PB – Sorbera. DP – Mifflin County 2 (Strohecker, Hidlay and Hannon; McKay, Hidlay and Hannon). LOB – Clearfield 6; Mifflin County 7. 2B – Bodtorf, Strohecker, Treaster, Michaels. SB – Strohecker.
Pitching
Clearfield – Ogden 6 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.
Mifflin County – McKay 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, BB, 4 K.
HB – Ogden 1 (Larson). WP – Ogden 1; McKay 1. PO – McKay 1 (Ogden).
W – McKay. L – Ogden (2-5).