HYDE — After being honored in front of the home fans during a pre-game ceremony, the eight seniors on the Clearfield Area High School baseball team shook off a slow start and finished strong for a 7-2 win over Curwensville at the Bison Sports Complex Monday.
The four Bison at the top of the lineup combined for four hits, drove in seven runs and scored four times.
Spencer Herrington was the lone Bison with two hits, one a triple, for a pair of RBIs. He also walked and scored twice.
Right behind him were Josh Sorbera and Thomas Summers with two RBIs apiece.
Sawyer Rowles fulfilled his role as the leadoff batter by drawing a walk and singling and then coming around to score. He also picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly.
Dan Collins jumpstarted two rallies with a double and a walk, Cole Kephart chipped in one hit and started one of the Bison’s two double plays and Noah Cline scored a run.
First baseman Erik Sellers made his contributions with his glove, digging out low throws and making a nice running catch of a foul pop-up. He completed both of the twinkillings.
“This is a great senior class,” coach Sid Lansberry boasted. “We’ve been with these kids since they were 13 years old. We started with that Jim’s Sports Center team, up through Wise Eyes and legion.
“Some of these guys who have played for me, I counted up almost 150 games when you look at fall ball, legion, two teener teams and high school.
“I’m glad we were able to win on Senior Day.”
Early on, the Bison were struggling against a Golden Tide team they beat 13-0 in six innings April 24 with Brandon Orsich pitching a no-hitter.
They managed only two hits off freshman southpaw Bryce Timko through four innings but were locked in a 2-2 tie thanks to Herrington’s triple up the right center alley and Sorbera’s groundout in the third frame.
“That was vintage hit-and-run,” Lansberry describing Herrington’s hit that scored Rowles, who had walked. “That’s what they’re one-two for. Spencer is a great No. 2 hitter because he hits a lot to the right side.”
Junior Tommy Hazel, the lone underclassman to start, made it a pretty good mound duel during in his four-inning stint.
He gave up four hits, struck out four and walked one. One of the runs he allowed was unearned as the Bison were guilty of five errors behind him.
Curwensville turned the lone free pass into a run with a sacrifice bunt and Jake Terry’s second single in the third inning and drew even in the next inning when R.J. Olson sandwiched the second of his three hits between two Clearfield miscues.
“I don’t think Tommy pitched poorly at all,” Lansberry said. “He was the victim of a couple shoddy plays. Actually, it was his third good start.”
Orsich, also a junior right-hander, relieved Hazel in the fifth and extended his mastery over the Golden Tide to post his fourth victory. He faced only 10 batters and struck out four, allowing only an infield single to Olson in the seventh.
“He was lights out,” Lansberry said. “He did a great job. He’s pretty confident with those guys.”
The Bison made Orsich a winner with three runs in the fifth.
Collins walked and pinch-runner Justin Fedder was perched at third after a sacrifice bunt and Rowles’ infield hit when Herrington delivered the game-winning hit, jerking a liner down the left field line.
Fly balls by Sorbera and Summers plated the insurance runs.
Clearfield tacked on another pair off reliever Noah Strickland in the sixth after the No. 8 and No. 9 hitters set the table.
Collins led off by ripping a double past short and Jonathan Trimpey followed with a single. Rowles came through with a sac fly to drive in pinch-runner Logan Lykens. With two outs, Summers singled to right center for the final run.
The Golden Tide gave the Bison a much tougher battle than their 3-16 record would indicate.
“You beat a team convincingly the first time, you have to be careful the second time,” Lansberry said. “I tried to warn them that it wasn’t going to be an easy game.
“I think Timko’s going to be a nice pitcher. He did a good job keeping the ball down.
“It just took us a while to get going.”
The Bison, 13-5, will be at home again Thursday against Brookville.
Curwensville (3-16) will close out their season on Tuesday with a trip to Brockway.
CURWENSVILLE — 2
Garrett Shaw lf 2000, Jake Terry ss 3021, Jake B. Stiles 2b 3000, A.J. Bloom 3b 3000, Hunter Lancaster c 3100, R.J. Olson 1b-cf 3030, Bryce Timko p-1b 3000, Jake C. Stiles rf 3000, Noah Strickland cf-p 2100. TOTALS: 25 2 5 1.
CLEARFIELD — 7
Sawyer Rowles cf 2211, Spencer Herrington ss 3222, Josh Sorbera c 3002, Thomas Summers rf 3012, Cole Kephart 3b 4010, Will Myers 2b 3010, Erik Sellers 1b 2000, Tommy Hazel p 0000, Brandon Orsich p 0000, Dan Collins dh 2010, Justin Fedder pr 0100, Logan Lykens pr 0100, Noah Cline lf 1100, Jonathan Trimpey p-lf 1010. TOTALS: 23 7 8 7.
Score by Innings
Curwensville 001 100 0 – 2 5 1
Clearfield 002 032 x – 7 8 5
E – J.C. Stiles; Rowles, Herrington, Sorbera, Myers 2. DP – Clearfield 2 (Herrington, Myers and Sellers; Kephart, Myers and Sellers). LOB – Curwensville 4; Clearfield 7. 2B – Collins. 3B – Herrington. Sac – Shaw; Trimpey. SF – Rowles, Sorbera, Summers. SB – Rowles, Summers, Cline.
Pitching
Curwensville – Timko 4-2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K; Strickland 1-1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Clearfield – Hazel 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K; Orsich 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K.
W – Orsich (4-3). L – Timko.
Umpires – Mark Michelucci (plate) and Ron Walter (bases).