HUNTINGDON — Thomas Summers hammered a booming three-run homer to key a seventh-inning comeback and Brandon Orsich pitched out of potential trouble in the bottom of the frame as the Clearfield Area High School baseball team made it two big road wins in a row to start the season by edging Huntingdon 6-4 Friday afternoon.
The Bison, who had slipped past Central 2-0 at Martinsburg Monday, were staring at a 4-1 deficit when they came to bat in the final inning of the Mountain League game.
Summers gave them the spark with the first circuit clout of his career after Jonathan Trimpey reached base on an error and Josh Sorbera singled.
He launched a Chris Alleman pitch to left field to get the Bison even.
“It was a big, clutch hit deep over the fence and into a creek,” coach Sid Lansberry said.
The Bison didn’t need any more hits for the winning and insurance runs.
Three consecutive walks by Jacob Dubbs, the third Bearcat hurler, set the stage.
Zeb Fowler relieved and induced a grounder for a forceout at the plate but walked Will Myers to force in Dan Collins with the deciding run. Sawyer Rowles scored on an error.
Single by Leif Brown and pinch-hitter Drew Weglarz gave the Bearcats life in the lower seventh.
However, Orsich snuffed out their comeback hopes for the complete-game victory. He got the first out on a called third strike and the final two outs on a force at third and a comebacker.
“It was a good effort by Orsich just coming off a broken ankle,” Lansberry said. “He was right around the plate all day.”
The junior right-hander walked only one Bearcat. He struck out two and surrendered eight hits.
Three came in the second inning when Huntingdon took a 2-1 lead on Logan Fisher’s single that followed hits by Kodiak Heaton and Alleman.
Fisher doubled home another run to make it 4-1 in the fourth after an error, a walk and a passed ball gave the Bearcats their third marker.
Clearfield was held to four hits and one run through five innings by Huntingdon ace Hunter Price, who fanned four and walked four.
Noah Cline’s two-out single plated Cole Kephart in the top of the second.
Sorbera and Tommy Hazel had two hits apiece for the Bison, who go to Bellefonte Tuesday.
Huntingdon won the junior varsity game 8-4. Reese Wilson singled twice and Jeremy Learish doubled for Clearfield.
CLEARFIELD — 6
Spencer Herrington ss 5000, Josh Sorbera c 3120, Thomas Summers p 4113, Cole Kephart 3b 3110, Brandon Orsich p 0000, Dan Collins dh 2100, Erik Sellers pr 0000, Sawyer Rowles cf 1100, Tommy Hazel rf 4020, Noah Cline 2b 2011, Will Myers 2b 1001, Jonathan Trimpey lf 4100. TOTALS: 29 6 7 5.
HUNTINGDON — 6
Hudson Speck cf 4000, Hunter Price p 4000, Dan Kyper lf 0000, Jon Wagner ss 4100, Kodiak Heaton 3b 3120, Nick Holesa pr 0000, Chris Alleman lf-p 2220, Jacob Dubbs p 0000, Zeb Fowler p 0000, Logan Fisher rf 3023, Nate Gearhart 1b 1000, Alex Kyper 1000, Leif Brown c 3010, Brian McLaughlin 2b 2000, Drew Weglarz ph 1010. TOTALS: 28 4 8 3.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 010 000 5 – 6 7 1
Huntingdon 020 200 0 – 4 8 3
E -Herrington; Heaton 3. PB – Sorbera. LOB – Clearfield 10; Huntingdon 5. 2B – Alleman, Fisher. HR – Summers (1). SB – Sellers; Alleman 2.
Pitching
Clearfield – Orsich 7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K.
Huntingdon – Price 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K; Alleman 1-1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K; Dubbs 0 IP (walked 3 batters in 7th), 0 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 0 K; Fowler 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.
HB – Orsich 1 (A. Kyper). WP – Dubbs 1.
W – Orsich (1-0). L – Dubbs (0-1).