CLEARFIELD — More than two dozen former Clearfield Area High School players waited out a 90-minute delay because of morning rains to make the 10th Annual Bison Baseball Alumni Game an on-the-field success at the Lawrence Township Rec Park Saturday afternoon.
Competition was both spirited and humorous at times, with the outcome that none of the ex-Bison really cared that much about resulting in a 6-6 tie after six innings.
The Red Team took command early with five runs in its first two at-bats.
Derek Danver (Class of 2011) and Adam Jury (’07) blasted home runs in the first inning. Derek’s roundtripper allowed his father, Tom “Bump” Danver (’82), who had walked, to trot around the sacks.
Tyler Kirkwood (’07) walked and Brandon Billotte (’98) walked with one out in the second frame, and Todd Hainsey (’92) and Hank Wilson (’82) came through with two-out RBI singles.
The Black Team got one run back when Brent Lykens (’91) walked and scored on an error in the bottom of the second and then exploded for five runs in the fifth.
The big blows were a two-run double by rookie Curt Collins (’14) and a three-run homer by Scott Dunlap (’81) that capped the rally. Wil Bacharach (’07) and Jarrett Fulmer (’11) set the stage with a single and double, respectively.
The Red Team averted defeat on singles by Tom Danver, Aaron Rowles (’96) and Jury in the top of the sixth after Wilson was thrown out at second base by Black Team centerfielder Chris Peacock (’91) trying to stretch his second hit into a double.
Southpaw Corey Bookhamer (’09) recorded the eighth strikeout of his route-going mound performance to strand three Red Team runners.
For the Red Team, Jury pitched the first three innings, allowing two hits and one unearned run, and was denied a win when the Black Team rallied against Billotte.
The Most Valuable Player Awards went to Jury, his second for an all-around effort that included an assist when he patrolled centerfield, and Dunlap, his fifth for making two difficult catches of pop-ups near first base before delivering his clutch homer.
Gold Glove Award recipients were Wilson for robbing Matt Peacock (’94) of a hit with a sliding catch in short left field and Chris Peacock for his defense from left center to right center.
Billotte, benefiting from a second opportunity, won the Home Run Derby with nine points.
EXTRA INNINGS — Larry Peacock (’65) was the oldest player, starting at second base for the Red Team and stepping into the batter’s box in front of sons Chris, Matt and Randy (’03)… The Black Team had its own family connections with Ken “Buck” Danver (’71) behind brother Tom and nephew Derek at the top of the order and Merrill Dunlap (’57), Scott’s father, bench coach for Sid Lansberry (’64)… Bill Bacharach (’70) and Mark Michelucci were the umpires… Before the game, announcer Logan Cramer III (’81) asked for a moment of silence in memory of Gerald “Jerry” Linsenbigler, a longtime supporter of Clearfield youth baseball who passed away recently… Sara and Megan Liptak, granddaughters of Jack Morris (’64), sang the National Anthem… Chad Zurat (’14), home after his rookie season in the Colorado Rockies farm system, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Red Team 320 001 – 6 10 2
Black Team 010 050 – 6 7 0
(R) Adam Jury, Brandon Billotte (4) and Brent Lykens, Wil Bacharach; (B) Corey Bookhamer and Tyler Kirkwood.
Two Hits – (R) Aaron Rowles, Hank Wilson.
2B – (R) Billotte; (B) . HR – (R) Derek Danver, Jury; (B) Scott Dunlap.
