PUNXSUTAWNEY — Punxsutawney broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the second inning and went on to pin the first loss of the season on Clearfield, 9-4, in a non-league schoolboy baseball game between District 9 Class AAA rivals at Kuntz Field Friday afternoon.
The Bison had knotted the score in the top of the second on Jon Trimpey’s single that drove in Brandon Orsich, who had doubled and moved to third on a balk by winning pitcher Lance Pennington.
John Matthews’ two-run single capped the Chucks’ go-ahead rally against Jake Sorbera, and the senior shortstop added another two-run hit in the fourth inning and then scored the final run on one of Clearfield’s four errors.
Evan Brown, pinch-running after Will Myers led off the fifth with a single, scored on Tommy Hazel’s sacrifice fly.
In the seventh inning, Orsich’s third hit chased home the Bison’s other two runs after walks to Justin Fedder and Zane Morgan and a single by Reese Wilson.
Morgan singled and doubled for the Bison.
Punxsy (4-3) recorded 10 singles off three Clearfield (3-1) hurlers who pitched two innings apiece.
Sorbera was the starter and loser, allowing four hits and five runs.
Hazel gave up four hits and four runs, with three unearned, and Fedder turned in a two-hit, scoreless stint.
Peyton Graham collected four hits, one a double, for the Chucks.
Pennington worked four innings for the win. He struck out five and surrendered four hits, one walk and one run.
The Bison will host Curwensville in another non-league game Monday before putting their share of the Mountain League lead on the line against Bald Eagle Area Tuesday.
CLEARFIELD — 4
Justin Fedder 2b-p 2000, Jarrit Wagner ph 1000, Zane Morgan c 3120, Marcus Luzier 3b 3000, Wyatt Porter ph 1100, Tommy Hazel cf-p-cf 2001, Seth Bumbarger ph 1000, Reese Wilson rf-cf-rf 1010, Ty Bender dh 3000, Brandon Orsich 1b 4132, Jon Trimpey lf 3011, Jake Sorbera p-rf 2000, Thayne Morgan 2b 1000, Will Myers ss 2010, Evan Brown pr 0100. TOTALS: 29 4 8 4.
PUNXSUTAWNEY — 9
Braxton Giavedoni cf 2200, Brandon Matthews 2b 4110, John Matthews ss 2224, Lance Pennington p-lf 4011, Joe DiPietro c 3001, Dylan Huey 1b 4100, Peyton Graham rf 4140, Lucas Ambler 3b 4111, Jacob Weaver lf 1100, Lucas Burkett p 1010, Actro p 0000. TOTALS: 29 9 10 7.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 010 010 2 – 4 8 4
Punxsutawney 141 300 x – 9 10 1
E – Luzier, Orsich, Sorbera, Myers; J. Matthews. LOB – Clearfield 9, Punxsutawney 8. 2B – Z. Morgan, Orsich; Pennington, Graham. SF – Hazel. SB – J. Matthews.
Pitching
Clearfield – Sorbera 2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 0 K; Hazel 2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K; Fedder 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.
Punxsutawney – Pennington 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K; Burkett 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K; Actro 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K.
HB – Sorbera 1 (Giavedoni). WP – Sorbera 1, Hazel 2. Balk – Pennington.
W – Pennington. L – Sorbera (1-1).
Bison Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/29 | CENTRAL | 11 – 5 | 1 – 0 |
| 4/01 | HUNTINGDON | 3 – 1 | 2 – 0 |
| 4/04 | BELLEFONTE | ppd. | 2 – 0 |
| 4/05 | BELLEFONTE | ppd. | 2 – 0 |
| 4/06 | BELLEFONTE | 3 – 0 | 3 – 0 |
| 4/07 | @ Tyrone | ppd. | 3 – 0 |
| 4/08 | @ Punxsutawney | 4 – 9 | 3 – 1 |
| 4/11 | CURWENSVILLE | ||
| 4/12 | BALD EAGLE AREA | ||
| 4/15 | @ Penns Valley | ||
| 4/18 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA | ||
| 4/19 | @ Brookville | ||
| 4/21 | @ Central | ||
| 4/26 | @ Huntingdon | ||
| 4/29 | @ Bellefonte | ||
| 5/02 | TYRONE | ||
| 5/03 | @ Curwensville | ||
| 5/05 | @ Bald Eagle Area | ||
| 5/09 | @ The Kiski School | ||
| 5/10 | PENNS VALLEY | ||
| 5/13 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola | ||
| 5/17 | DUBOIS |