HYDE — Central spoiled opening day for the Clearfield Area High School softball team by backing Kaitlyn Thompson’s three-hit pitching with a 15-hit attack for an 11-0 win at the Bison Sports Complex Tuesday.
“It was a combination of first game jitters for us and Central being a very good team,” Lady Bison coach Bob Lewis said after the Mountain League game that was halted after five innings because of the Mercy Rule.
Thompson was dominant through four innings, setting the Lady Bison down in order three times while giving up only a walk to Molly Sartin and a single by Erica Hanes in the third frame.
Makayla Ross and Raeleigh Redden accounted for Clearfield’s other two hits to begin the bottom of the fifth, but Central third baseman Ashley Negley turned three ground balls into outs to preserve the shutout for Thompson, who had only one strikeout and issued two walks.
The first six batters in the Scarlet Dragon lineup had multiple hits, with Jenna Ritchey collecting three singles.
Negley doubled and tripled, while Olivia Smith, Jenna Berzansky, Maddie Metzler and Darby Boyles had two singles apiece.
No. 7 batter Cass Mock drove in three runs with a double and a groundout.
Redden was the losing hurler, striking out two and walking none. Five of Central’s runs were unearned due to three of Clearfield’s four errors.
Lewis is confident the Lady Bison will put the loss in their rearview mirror.
“The kids will persevere and bounce back,” he said.
The Lady Bison will get that opportunity Thursday when they travel to Huntingdon.
CENTRAL — 11
Olivia Smith ss 4320, Jenna Ritchey 2b 4331, Ashley Negley 3b 4222, Jenna Berzansky 1b 4122, Maddie Metzler lf 4021, Danielle Wagner lf 0000, Darby Boyles cf 4220, Cass Mock c 4013, Tiereny Fernandez rf 3010, Maddie Kreider dp 3000, Kaitlyn Thompson (flex) p 0000. TOTALS: 34 11 15 9.
CLEARFIELD — 0
Erica Hanes lf-rf 3010, Brooke Cline ss 2000, Abby Fedder dp 2000, Aspen Bishop cf-lf 2000, Makayla Ross 1b 2010, Raeleigh Redden p 2010, Lindsay Hand rf 1000, Karlie Lewis cf 1000, Sierra Jones 3b 2000, Molly Sartin 2b 0000, Alana Kochan pr-2b 0000, Myra Kavelak (flex) c 0000. TOTALS: 17 0 3 0.
Score by Innings
Central 411 23 – 11 15 0
Clearfield 000 00 – 0 3 4
E – Hanes 2, Jones, Hand. LOB – Central 8; Clearfield 4. 2B – Negley, Mock. 3B – Negley. SB – Smith, Ritchey 2, Negley, Fernandez. CS – Kochan (by Mock).
Pitching
Central – Thompson 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K.
Clearfield – Redden 5 IP, 15 H, 11 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.
WP – Thompson 1; Redden 1.
W – Thompson. L – Redden (0-1).
Umpires – Colleen Shannon (plate); Jim Pullman (bases).
Lady Bison Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/29 | CENTRAL | 0 – 11 | 0 – 1 |
| 3/31 | @ Huntingdon | ||
| 4/05 | @ Bellefonte | ||
| 4/08 | TYRONE | ||
| 4/11 | @ Bald Eagle Area | ||
| 4/13 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | ||
| 4/14 | PENNS VALLEY | ||
| 4/19 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola | ||
| 4/22 | @ Central | ||
| 4/25 | HUNTINGDON | ||
| 4/28 | BELLEFONTE | ||
| 5/02 | GLENDALE | ||
| 5/03 | @ Tyrone | ||
| 5/05 | @ Curwensville | ||
| 5/06 | BALD EAGLE AREA | ||
| 5/09 | @ Penns Valley | ||
| 5/12 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA | ||
| 5/16 | @ Hollidaysburg | ||
| 5/18 | ALTOONA | ||
| 5/19 | @ Bradford |