BOALSBURG — What has been a disappointing season for the Clearfield American Legion baseball ended with a 4-0 loss to State College in the second elimination bracket round of the Central Penn League Championship Playoffs Sunday at the Shaner Sports Complex Sunday afternoon.
Ben Ripka fired a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts for the hosts. He registered at least two strikeouts in five innings.
Curtis Collins and Thomas Summers had singles for the Chiefs, who finished 6-18-1 with half of their losses by shutouts.
The only Chiefs to reach second base were Collins via a steal after his leadoff hit and Spencer Herrington when he reached base on an error and Summers drew Ripka’s second walk in the sixth inning.
Summers pitched a complete game for Clearfield, allowing six singles and four walks while striking out two.
He kept State College off the board until the fourth frame as the winners turned a walk to Tanner Witter into a run with a sacrifice bunt and Tyler Hall’s two-out single, his second hit.
Jon Herzing’s RBI single and Witter’s sacrifice fly made it 3-0 in the fifth.
Ripka singled, advanced to third on a sacrifice and Derek VanHorn’s hit and stole home in the sixth.
Coach Sid Lansberry expressed his thanks to the John Lewis Shade American Legion Post 6 for supporting the Chiefs again and giving the team, all Clearfield Area School District players, the opportunity to play baseball this summer.
He also thanked the other members of the coaching staff – Ed Yeager, Andy Sorbera and Sam Timchak.
Four teams remain in the hunt for the championship with State College going to Philipsburg and Mifflin County entertaining Beech Creek Monday evening.
Philipsburg emerged as the lone unbeaten team with a 1-0 squeaker over Mifflin County and Beech Creek eliminated DuBois in other games Sunday.
CLEARFIELD — 0
Curtis Collins cf 3010, Spencer Herrington 3000, Thomas Summers p 2010, Cole Kephart ss 3000, Ronny Ogden lf 3000, Erik Sellers 1b 2000, Devin Jones ph 1000, Josh Kennedy 3b 2000, Logan Lykens ph 1000, Zach Timchak rf 1000. TOTALS: 24 0 2 0.
STATE COLLEGE — 4
Jon Herzing ss 1111, Sam Plafcan 3b 3000, Tanner Witter rf 1101, Ken Craig 1b 2000, Ben Ripka p 3110, Tyler Hall 2b 2021, Derek VanHorn cf 3010, Jon Bergman c 2000, Nick Harner lf 1000, Harrison Walls ph 1110, Zach Smeal lf 1000. TOTALS: 20 4 6 3.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 000 000 0 – 0 2 0
State College 000 121 x – 4 6 1
E – Plafcan. LOB – Clearfield 5; State College 5. Sac – Craig, Hall. SF – Witter. SB – Collins; Plafcan, Ripka.
Pitching
Clearfield – Summers 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K.
State College – Ripka 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 13 K.
WP – Summers 1. PO – Summers 1 (Hall).
W – Ripka. L – Summers (1-3).