Myers Records a ‘W’ in First Start for Bison

HYDE — Having learned that the Clearfield Area High School baseball team would begin the District 9 Class AAA Playoffs Tuesday, coach Sid Lansberry handed the ball to Will Myers for the non-league game with Brookville Thursday.

The sophomore right-hander responded with a solid effort in his first start, pitching a five-hitter with four strikeouts as the Bison rolled past the Raiders 11-1 in 4½ innings at the Bison Sports Complex.

With the regular season finale slated at DuBois Friday and the No. 2 seed Bison’s much more important district semifinal game booked for Tuesday against No. 3 seed Bradford at the BSC, Lansberry was reluctant to call on Thomas Summers and Brandon Orsich, who own a combined 11 wins.

“I want both of them ready for Tuesday, so we were in a bind with another game Friday,” Lansberry said. “I really didn’t know who to pitch. It was more like guesswork, give Will a chance. And he comes up with a five-inning game, so that’s good.”

Myers, who faced two batters at Bellefonte May 5 in his only other appearance, did walk three and had to work out of jams in the first and fourth innings when the Raiders stranded a total of five runners.

A defensive gem by right fielder Tommy Hazel bailed him out in the first frame.

With two runners on base and one out, Raider Jordan Tosh sent a drive to right center that was ticketed for extra bases until Hazel made a shoestring catch.

“I didn’t think he’d get to it,” Lansberry said. “It looked like both runners could possibly score, so that’s a big play. Plus, with a new pitcher who is untested, you never know.”

Myers took care of matters himself with the bases full in the fourth. He struck out Kyle Dunkle, who had two doubles, and retired Tate Canavan on a comebacker.

The lone run off Myers came in the third on Dunkle’s two-bagger and Zach Byerly’s sacrifice fly.

Batterymate Josh Sorbera drove in three runs with two of Clearfield’s six hits.

His first-inning single gave the Bison a 4-0 lead after Noah Cline and Sawyer Rowles had walked with the bases loaded.

“That was a big hit,” Lansberry said.

Rowles earned a second RBI with a forceout and Sorbera had an RBI single in the third inning, while Marcus Luzier added a two-run single in a pinch-hit role in the fourth.

Myers worked the two Brookville (4-15) pitchers for three walks, and courtesy runner Justin Fedder came around to score every time.

Erik Sellers also scored three runs. He singled, walked and was hit by a pitch.

The Bison improved their record to 14-5, the most wins in more than a decade.

BROOKVILLE — 1

Kyle Dunkle c 3120, Tate Canavan 3b 2000, Zach Byerly p-1b 2001, Jordan Tosh ss 2010, Austin Cook ph 1000, Shawn Blochberger 1b-p 2000, Wyatt Shaffer lf 0000, Espy Reinard dh 2010, Ben Caun rf 2000, Nate Keth rf 0000, Ben Reitz 2b 0000, Nick Keth 2b 0000, Jordan Haugh cf 2010. TOTALS: 18 1 5 1.

CLEARFIELD — 11

Sawyer Rowles cf 3212, Spencer Herrington ss 3000, Josh Sorbera c 3023, Thomas Summers lf 2110, Cole Kephart 3b 3100, Will Myers p 0300, Erik Sellers 1b 1310, Tommy Hazel rf 0000, Dan Collins dh 2000, Marcus Luzier ph 1012, Noah Cline 2b 1101, Logan Lykens ph 1000. TOTALS: 20 11 6 8.

Score by Innings

Brookville      001 00 –  1  5  6
Clearfield      143 3x – 11  6  0
E – Tosh 2, Blochberger, Shaffer 3. PB – Dunkle. LOB – Brookville 7; Clearfield 5. 2B – Dunkle 2; Summers. SF – Byerly. SB – Herrington 2.

Pitching

Brookville – Byerly 3 IP, 4 H, 8 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 3 K; Blochberger 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Clearfield – Myers 5 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K.
HB – Blochberger 1 (Sellers); Myers 1 (Blochberger). WP – Byerly 1.
W – Myers (1-0). L – Byerly.

Bison Scoreboard: