CLEARFIELD — With just three runs in the last five games lowering the season average under three, the Clearfield American Legion Post 6 baseball team was way overdue for some offensive fireworks, and the Chiefs lit up three Altoona pitchers for 13 hits for a 13-0 Mercy Rule victory at the Lawrence Township Recreation Park Field Thursday night.
The Chiefs, who had registered more than six hits only one time, exceeded that number in the second inning with two doubles and five singles to give Brandon Orsich a 7-0 cushion in the Central Penn League game.
It turned out that Ty Bender’s run-scoring single was all Orsich needed in the five-inning four-hitter for his third win in five decisions.
The right-hander had four strikeouts and no walks.
Pitching to contact, Orsich got the job done with just 47 pitches. Only nine missed the strike zone as he never had a three-ball count.
Orsich also touched off Clearfield’s biggest rally of the year with a double to deep right field, and courtesy runner Thayne Morgan scored on Bender’s single through the left side after Jon Trimpey lined a hit to center.
Reese Wilson reached on an error to fill the sacks, and Jake Sorbera’s hit and Seth Bumbarger’s sacrifice fly quickly made it 3-0.
Josh Sorbera walked to load ‘em up for Curt Collins, who cleared the bases with a double to straightaway center. Will Myers followed with an RBI single.
The Chiefs, the visiting team because Altoona’s field was being utilized, batted around again in the third inning to tally five more runs, two scoring on a misplay and another on a wild pitch. Bumbarger and Orsich had the lone RBIs via a groundout and a walk, respectively.
Singles by Collins, Zane Morgan and Trimpey produced the final run in the fifth.
Collins fronted Clearfield’s attack with three hits while Myers, Trimpey and Bender chimed in with two apiece.
The win was a big one for the Chiefs in the CPL playoff chase, leapfrogging them over Clarence into fifth place.
Clearfield climbed to 4-7 and dropped Altoona to 2-7.
The Chiefs, 5-8 overall, will return to the LTRP Field for a make-up game with Huntingdon Friday at 6 p.m.
CLEARFIELD — 13
Josh Sorbera c-ss 3200, Curt Collins 2b 4333, Will Myers ss 3021, Zane Morgan c 1010, Marcus Luzier 3b 3010, Brandon Orsich p 3111, Jon Trimpey cf 3221, Ty Bender eh-rf-eh 3221, Reese Wilson lf 2100, Thayne Morgan ph-lf 2000, Jake Sorbera rf-eh 1211, Jarrit Wagner ph-rf 1000, Seth Bumbarger 1b 1002, Tommy Hazel ph-1b 1000. TOTALS: 31 13 13 10.
ALTOONA — 0
Casey Sheetz ss 2000, Eric Hill lf 2000, Jack Hunter 3b-p, Mason Betar 1b-p-3b 2000, Andrew Gressler 2b 2010, Hugo Smith p-1b 2000, Caimen Nicolini c 2010, Tanner Swales rf 2010, Corey Love cf 2000. TOTALS: 18 0 4 0.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 075 01 – 13 13 0
Altoona 000 00 – 0 0 4
E – Hunter, Gressler, Smith, Swales. LOB – Clearfield 10; Altoona 3. 2B – Collins, Luzier, Orsich; Hunter. SF – Bumbarger.
Pitching
Clearfield – Orsich 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K.
Altoona – Smith 2 IP, 7 H, H R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K; Beta 2/3 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 0 K; Hunter 2-1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 k.
HB – Smith 1 (Jo. Sorbera); Hunter 1 (Bender). WP – Betar 1, Hunter 1.
W – Orsich (3-2). L – Smith.