HYDE — Morgan Peters broke up a 1-1 pitcher’s duel with a grand slam home run in the top of the fifth inning and undefeated Bald Eagle Area went on to spoil the Clearfield Area High School softball team’s home opener, 7-2, at the Bison Sports Complex Tuesday afternoon.
“We’re giving up that one big hit that’s kind of knocking us down,” coach Bob Lewis said after the Lady Bison tumbled to 1-2 in the Mountain League and 1-3 overall. “The kids see that and hang their heads a little bit.
“They’ve got to learn to bounce back from stuff like that.
“For four innings, we played a tremendous ball game.”
Clearfield got the jump on the perennial ML and District 6 Class AA tourney contenders in the first inning when Devynn Ireland rammed a two-out single through the middle to plate Karlie Lewis, who had reached base on the Lady Eagles’ lone misplay.
“Devynn’s hit was a big hit,” Lewis said. “That’s always our goal, to get the lead early to put the pressure on the other team. And I think scoring first really did help us get started. We’ve got to learn to build upon that.”
Instead, Marissa Tobias got BEA (4-0, 3-0 ML) even with a laser over the left center fence in the third, so Lady Bison Rachel Hoffman carried a two-hitter with seven strikeouts into the fifth and began that frame with another punch-out.
Then, the speedy Dallis Dillon dropped down a bunt in front of the plate for a hit, Marissa Tobias belted a double to deep left center that Lewis couldn’t quite hold on to after a long run, Logan Fischer drew a walk and Peters launched a towering drive that landed behind the fence in left field.
The Lady Eagles tacked on two more runs, both unearned, in the sixth on two Lady Bison miscues and RBI-singles by Mikayla Smith and Dillon.
Clearfield got its second tally in the seventh on Lauren Butler’s single that fell in short right center, pinch-hitter Taylor Luzier’s free pass and Hoffman’s single through the right side off winning hurler Sidney Shultz, who wound up with a six-hitter. The Lady Eagle registered seven strikeouts while issuing two walks and hitting one batter.
Ireland and Megan Vanderburgh had two hits apiece for the Lady Bison.
The latter easily could have enjoyed a perfect day at the plate. Her liner leading off the first inning was slashed directly at right fielder Makennah Dyke. And she was robbed of a hit by BEA third baseman Tobias on a sharp grounder in the seventh.
“Megan has hit the ball solidly every time she’s put the ball in play,” Lewis said. “She really is a sparkplug for us.
“And Devynn is starting to put the ball in play much more.”
Tobias had three of the seven hits allowed by Hoffman, who fanned 10, walked three and hit two Lady Eagles.
“Rachel threw a heck of a game,” Lewis said. “She had one or two pitches that got away from her, but, other than that, did well.”
Lewis is pleased with the improved hitting by the Lady Bison but would like to see more clutch hits and more extra base blows.
“We’re putting the ball in play and striking out less than we have been, but we’ve still gotta swing harder,” he said. “We need to start driving the ball with authority.
“We just have to be more aggressive with the bats, overall, as a team.”
The Lady Bison will play on their home diamond again Friday against Bellefonte in another ML game.
Mountain League – Bald Eagle Area 3-0, Philipsburg-Osceola 1-0, Central 2-1, Bellefonte 1-1, Clearfield 1-2, Huntingdon 1-2, Penns Valley 0-1, Tyrone 0-2.
BALD EAGLE AREA — 7
Mikayla Smith 2b 3111, Dallis Dillon lf 3121, Marissa Tobias 3b 4231, Logan Fischer 3000, Skylar Woodward pr 0100, Morgan Peters dp 3114, Haley Giedroc ss 3000, Moreta Dyke ph 1000, Morgan Nyman c 3000, Olivia Andrews ph 1000, Megan Peters cf 3100, Makennah Dyke rf 1000, Sidney Shultz p (flex) 0000. TOTALS: 28 7 7 7.
CLEARFIELD — 2
Megan Vanderburgh ss 4020, Karlie Lewis cf 3100, Olivia Smith rf 1000, Rachel Hoffman p 4011, Devynn Ireland c 4021, Victoria Ireland 1b 2000, Raeleigh Redden lf 3000, Molly Sartin 3b 3000, Samantha Foster dp 1000, Lauren Butler 2b (flex) 1110, Macala Leigey rf-cf 2000, Taylor Luzier ph 0000. TOTALS: 28 2 6 2.
Score by Innings
Bald Eagle Area 001 042 0 – 7 7 1
Clearfield 100 000 1 – 2 6 4
E – Ma. Dyke; Vanderburgh 2, V. Ireland, Butler. PB – Nyman. LOB – Bald Eagle Area 6; Clearfield 8. 2B – Tobias. HR – Tobias, Mo. Peters. Sac – Ma. Dyke. SB – Dillon 2, Tobias 2. CS – Dillon (by D. Ireland).
Pitching
Bald Eagle Area – Shultz 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K.
Clearfield – Hoffman 7 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 10 K.
HB – Shultz 1 (Butler); Hoffman 2 (Smith, Peters). WP – Shultz 4; Hoffman 1.
W – Shultz. L – Hoffman (1-2).
Umpires – Joe Shick (plate) and Denny Kopenhaver (bases).
Lady Bison Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/24 | @ Central | 0 – 10 | 0 – 1 |
| 3/25 | @ Central Mountain | ppd. | 0 – 1 |
| 3/27 | @ Huntingdon | 8 – 4 | 1 – 1 |
| 3/31 | @ Central Mountain | 1 – 12 | 1 – 2 |
| 4/01 | BALD EAGLE AREA | 2 – 7 | 1 – 3 |
| 4/04 | BELLEFONTE | ||
| 4/07 | @ Tyrone | ||
| 4/10 | PENNS VALLEY | ||
| 4/14 | BROOKVILLE | ||
| 4/16 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA | ||
| 4/17 | CENTRAL | ||
| 4/22 | HUNTINGDON | ||
| 4/23 | @ Bradford | ||
| 4/24 | @ Bald Eagle Area | ||
| 4/29 | @ Bellefonte | ||
| 5/01 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | ||
| 5/02 | TYRONE | ||
| 5/05 | @ Penns Valley | ||
| 5/08 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola | ||
| 5/13 | ALTOONA | ||
| 5/15 | @ Hollidaysburg |