LEWISTOWN — The Cinderella run through the Central Penn League Playoffs by the Clearfield American Legion John Lewis Shade Post 6 baseball team ended in one nightmarish inning at the Mifflin County High School Field Tuesday evening.
Mifflin County sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 13 runs in the fifth frame for a 14-4 Mercy Rule win to win the championship and join regular season kingpin Beech Creek in the Region 7 Tournament that begins at Mount Pleasant Saturday.
The Chiefs, who would have had to bump off Mifflin County twice to secure the title and the trip to the regional, finished the season 11-10 after owning a 4-8 record coming into July.
“To make it to the finals of the playoffs was unexpected,” Chiefs manager Sid Lansberry said. “Overall, we were competitive and had a great season with a young team. We had a five-game winning streak and won seven out of eight before tonight.
“The only player who won’t be eligible to play next year is Curt Collins.”
Clearfield built a 4-1 lead on Jake Sorbera’s run-scoring single in the second inning and Brandon Orsich’s bases-clearing double to left center after Josh Sorbera and Will Myers singled and Collins walked in the top of the fifth.
Collins carried a three-hitter into the lower fifth when the wheels fell off for the Chiefs.
Mifflin County parlayed nine hits off three Clearfield pitchers with two walks, three errors and a fielder’s choice that resulted in no outs into the big outburst.
Max Remy’s bases-loaded double made it a new game, and he scored the winning run on a two-bagger by Zack Hostetler that chased Collins.
Reese Wilson couldn’t hold down the hosts, either, as J.M. Maclay’s triple following a Clearfield miscue made it 7-4. The next three batters delivered singles to break it open.
Thayne Morgan relieved with one out and faced two batters, with Luke McKay singling home two teammates to evoke the 10-run rule.
Remy had three of Mifflin County’s 13 hits and drove in four runs, while J.M. McKay, Hunter Walker and Eddie Hamman contributed two safeties apiece.
Ross Torquato was the winning hurler, allowing seven hits and four walks while striking out two.
Lansberry thanked assistant coaches Ed Yeager and Andy Sorbera for helping make the season a success for the Chiefs.
CLEARFIELD — 4
Josh Sorbera c 3110, Will Myers ss 3110, Marcus Luzier 3b 2010, Curt Collins p-lf 2210, Brandon Orsich 1b 2013, Jon Trimpey cf 3010, Ty Bender lf 2000, Reese Wilson lf-p-rf 0000, Jake Sorbera rf 2011, Zane Morgan 2b 0000, Justin Fedder 2b 1000, Thayne Morgan 2b-p 0000. TOTALS: 20 4 7 4.
MIFFLIN COUNTY — 14
Max Remy ss 4234, Zack Hostetler lf 4211, Lucas McKay 3b 4112, J.M. Maclay c 2222, Isaac Maclay dh 3111 , Andrew Larson rf 3110, Hunter Walker cf 3220, Eddie Hamman 1b 2121, Cade Addick 2b 2201. TOTALS: 27 14 13 12.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 010 0 3 – 4 7 4
Mifflin County 000 1(13) – 14 13 1
DP – Mifflin County 1 (Remy, Addick and Hamman). LOB – Clearfield 3; Mifflin County 6. 2B – Orsich; Remy, Hostetler. 3B – J.M. Maclay. Sac – Luzier. SB – Remy. CS – Hamman (by Jo. Sorbera).
Pitching
Clearfield – Collins 4+ IP (faced 5 batters in 5th), 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K; Wilson 1/3 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K; T. Morgan 0+ IP (faced 2 batters in 5th), 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
Mifflin County – Ross Torquato 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K.
W – Torquato. L – Collins (2-3).