CLEARFIELD — Brandon Orsich pitched a four-hitter with 13 strikeouts and Josh Sorbera belted a two-run double to key a fifth-inning rally as Clearfield tumbled Clarence 4-2 in its Central Penn Legion League opener at the Lawrence Township Recreation Park Field Thursday evening.
The Mounties jumped out to a 2-0 lead with three infield singles in the first inning.
Ryan Dyke’s hard smash off third baseman Marcus Luzier’s glove drove in Bryce Greene, and he scored when Trey Butterworth beat out a slow roller to third.
Orsich then slammed the door on the Mounties the rest of the way, setting them down in order in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings.
Butterworth looped a single to right with two outs in the seventh for Clarence’s only other safety off Orsich, who issued one walk in a strong 87-pitch outing.
Clearfield got on the board against Tyler Schall in the second when Luzier bounced a single through the left side, advanced to third on an error and crossed the plate on Logan Lykens’ grounder.
With one down in the fifth, Reese Wilson walked and Thayne Morgan singled in their debuts for the Chiefs. A throwing error on Curt Collins’ ground ball brought Sorbera to the plate with the bases full, and he chased home the tying and winning runs with his double over the left fielder’s head.
Collins scored the insurance run on a wild pitch.
Will Myers had two of Clearfield’s six hits off Schall, who struck out two and walked.
The Chiefs will host Beech Creek Saturday at 5 p.m. and Philipsburg Sunday at 6 p.m. at the LTRP diamond.
CLARENCE — 2
Bryce Greene ss 3110, Tyler Schall p 2000, Ryan Dyke c 3111, Noah Chambers 1b 3000, Trey Butterworth 3b 3021, AJ Onder 2b 3000, Brandon Barnyak cf 2000, Caleb Bell eh 2000, Hunter Eminhizer lf 2000, Luke Jozefik lf 0000, Cody Hackett rf 1000, Elliott Peters rf 1000. TOTALS: 25 2 4 2.
CLEARFIELD — 4
Curt Collins cf 3100, Josh Sorbera 3012, Will Myers ss 3020, Jon Trimpey lf 3000, Marcus Luzier 3b 2110, Jake Sorbera 3b 1010, Ty Bender eh 3000, Logan Lykens 1b 3001, Seth Bumbarger 1b 0000, Brandon Orsich p 2000, Tommy Hazel rf 1000, Reese Wilson rf 1100, Justin Fedder 2b 1000, Thayne Morgan 2b 1110. TOTALS: 27 4 6 3.
Score by Innings
Clarence 200 000 0 – 2 4 4
Clearfield 010 030 x – 4 6 1
E – Butterworth 3, Onder; Luzier. LOB – Clarence 3; Clearfield 7. 2B – Jo. Sorbera. SB – Greene.
Pitching
Clarence – Schall 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
Clearfield – Orsich 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 13 K.
WP – Schall 1.
W – Orsich (1-0). L – Schall.
Umpires – Gary Kost (plate) and Rob Murphy (bases).