BELLEFONTE — Cole Kephart clubbed a two-run double in the top of the eighth inning and then pitched out of two-on, one-out situation for a save as Clearfield squeezed past Bellefonte 8-7 in a wild Central Penn American Legion League game at Governors Park Monday evening.
The Chiefs had opened a 6-1 lead in the sixth inning when Sawyer Rowles doubled home two runs and scored on a single by Curt Collins.
Thomas Summers was working on a one-hitter but walked two Bandits around an error to fill the sacks, and Taylor Butts unloaded them with a two-bagger.
Another Clearfield misplay left the Bandits with a 6-5 deficit, and they threatened to pull out a win in the seventh when Summers issued three more free passes after David Fox singled. However, the Chiefs’ left-hander induced a grounder for a forceout at the plate and then recorded his 10th strikeout, sending the game to the extra inning.
A pair of two-out Bandit errors provided Kephart with the opportunity to deliver his clutch hit that drove in Rowles and Collins in the eighth.
Kephart walked the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the inning, and the Bandits got one run back on a passed ball. Another free pass put the winning run aboard, and a wild pitch had both runners in scoring position.
However, Kephart bore down to retire the next two Bandits, one on strikes, to save the win for Summers, who allowed only three hits and three earned runs in seven innings.
Rowles and Collins each had three of Clearfield’s 11 hits, and Brandon Orsich added a pair of singles.
The Chiefs (3-4) will be back on their home diamond at the Bison Sports Complex for 6 p.m. games against DuBois Thursday and Clarence Friday.
CLEARFIELD — 8
Logan Puit c 4110, Sawyer Rowles cf 5233, Curt Collins 2b 5230, Cole Kephart ss-p 5012, Thomas Summers p-lf 5000, Brandon Orsich 3b-ss 4120, Josh Kennedy lf-3b 3110, Logan Lykens 1b 3000, Josh Sorbera ph 1000, Zach Timchak rf 3100. TOTALS: 38  8 11 5.
BELLEFONTE — 7
Seth Weaver 2200, Anthony Montressor 2b 3110, Taylor Smith p-eh 1101, David Keller pr-p 0000, Taylor Butts rf-p 41113, Adam Kuhn 3b 4000, Zach Williams 1b 3100, Ryan McElwee ss 3000, Trent Fortney cf 3000, Colton Treaster c 2000, David Fox eh-rf 4110. TOTALS: 29 7 3 4.
Score by Innings
Clearfield   020 013 02 – 8 11 3
Bellefonte  100 004 11 – 7   3 6
E – Orsich 3; Montressor, McElwee 3, Fortney, Treaster. PB – Puit 2. LOB – Clearfield 9; Bellefonte 10. 2B – Rowles, Kephart; Montressor, Butts. SB – Weaver.
Pitching
Clearfield – Summers 7 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 9 BB, 10 K; Kephart 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K.
Bellefonte – Smith 6 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K; Keller 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K; Butts 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
HB – Smith 2 (Kennedy, Timchak). WP – Summers 2; Smith 1. PO – Summers 1 (Kuhn).
W – Summers (2-0). L – Butts. Sv – Kephart (1).
