HYDE — Four early runs, three of them unearned, were more than enough of a cushion for Alexa Young and the Altoona Lady Lions to pin a 5-1 non-league loss on the Clearfield Area High School softball team at the Bison Sports Complex Wednesday afternoon.
Once again, the lack of hitting was costly for the Lady Bison, who have been shut out six times and held to one run on three occasions.
Young limited them to five hits, with two of them bunts and one an infield single.
“We’ve been very fortunate with the batting average that we have to win the games we have,” coach Bob Lewis said after the Lady Bison dipped to 7-12 in their regular season home finale.
Young, who sported a 2.27 earned run average, chalked up seven strikeouts to run her season total to 127 in 105-2/3 innings, and she was able to record big outs with Lady Bison in scoring position in five different innings.
“We didn’t play a bad game, but we struggled in clutch moments,” Lewis said. “We had opportunities, second and third with one out, third with one out, and we just didn’t cash in.
“If we had, it’s a different game at the end.”
Clearfield’s run in the first inning was unearned, too, Brooke Cline scoring on a two-out error. She had singled off third baseman Mackenna Daniel’s glove, stolen second and advanced to third on Sierra Jones’ sacrifice bunt.
Altoona (10-9) had been gifted two runs in the top of the frame because of a two-out misplay with the bases loaded.
Back-to-back doubles by Andrea Parrish and Lindsey Fasolo to the left center gap and a sacrifice fly by Daniel expanded the margin to 4-1 in the third inning.
Daniel singled home another insurance run in the fifth.
Parrish and Kudlawiec each had two hits for the Lady Lions, who already have improved on last year’s record by four wins.
“They’re a good team,” Lewis said. “They’ve come a long way. And they hit the ball well.”
While Lady Bison hurler Raeleigh Redden was touched up for nine hits, she should have been working in a much tighter contest.
The senior right-hander, who walked four and struck out three, lowered her ERA to 2.55 with her ninth complete game in 15 starts.
“She deserved a better fate, and I think everybody knows it,” Lewis said. “She’s pitched fantastic all year. I know that she and the other two seniors, Sierra and Karlie (Lewis), wanted this game pretty badly.
“It just comes back to hitting. You can’t hope to win games 1-0 or 2-0.”
The Lady Bison will make the long trip to Bradford Thursday for their final tune-up for the District 9 Class AAA Playoffs.
ALTOONA — 5
Alyson Adams 2b 4010, Montana Feathers cf 4000, Andrea Parrish ss 3320, Lindsey Fasolo c 3211, Alexa Young p 3000, Mackenna Daniel 3b 3012, Alissa James dp 3010, Bethany Kudlawiec lf 3020, Caitlyn Palazzi rf 2010, Emily Little rf 0000, Audrey Snyder 1b 0000. TOTALS: 28 5 9 3.
CLEARFIELD — 1
Brooke Cline ss 4120, Sierra Jones 3b 2010, Nikki Brossard c 3000, Aspen Bishop cf 3000, Erica Hanes lf 3000, Raeleigh Redden p 3010, Makayla Ross 1b 3000, Abby Fedder dp 2000, Karlie Lewis dp 1000, Alana Kochan 2b 2010, Molly Sartin 2b 1000, Lindsay Hand rf (flex) 0000. TOTALS: 27 1 5 0.
Score by Innings
Altoona 202 010 0 – 5 9 3
Clearfield 100 000 0 – 1 5 1
E – Adams, Daniel 2; Jones. PB – Brossard. DP – Clearfield 1 (Ross, Sartin and Brossard). LOB – Altoona 7; Clearfield 7. 2B – Parrish, Fasolo. Sac – Jones 2. SF – Daniel. SB – Parrish; Cline.
Pitching
Altoona – Young 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K.
Clearfield – Redden 7 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K.
WP – Redden 1.
W – Young (9-7). L – Redden (6-9).
Lady Bison Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/29 | CENTRAL | 0 – 11 | 0 – 1 |
| 3/31 | @ Huntingdon | 3 – 4 | 0 – 2 |
| 4/05 | @ Bellefonte | 0 – 8 | 0 – 3 |
| 4/08 | TYRONE | ppd. | 0 – 3 |
| 4/11 | @ Bald Eagle Area | ppd. | 0 – 3 |
| 4/13 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | 3 – 0 | 1 – 3 |
| 4/14 | PENNS VALLEY | 7 – 5 | 2 – 3 |
| 4/18 | TYRONE | 10 – 0 | 3 – 3 |
| 4/19 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola | 0 – 9 | 3 – 4 |
| 4/20 | @ Bald Eagle Area | 1 – 11 | 3 – 5 |
| 4/22 | @ Central | 0 – 11 | 3 – 6 |
| 4/25 | HUNTINGDON | 5 – 11 | 3 – 7 |
| 4/28 | BELLEFONTE | ppd. | 3 – 7 |
| 4/29 | BELLEFONTE | ppd. | 3 – 7 |
| 5/02 | GLENDALE | ppd. | 3 – 7 |
| 5/03 | @ Tyrone | 7 – 2 | 4 – 7 |
| 5/05 | @ Curwensville | 3 – 1 | 5 – 7 |
| 5/06 | BALD EAGLE AREA | 3 – 9 | 5 – 8 |
| 5/09 | @ Penns Valley | 3 – 1 | 6 – 8 |
| 5/11 | GLENDALE | 0 – 2 | 6 – 9 |
| 5/12 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA | 0 – 11 | 6 – 10 |
| 5/16 | @ Hollidaysburg | 2 – 0 | 7 – 10 |
| 5/17 | BELLEFONTE | 1 – 12 | 7 – 11 |
| 5/18 | ALTOONA | 1 – 5 | 7 – 12 |
| 5/19 | @ Bradford |