LEWISTOWN — Out-hit 14-8, the Clearfield American Legion baseball team remained in the running for the Central Penn League Playoffs title by converting five of its 10 free passes into runs to defeat Mifflin County 9-6 Saturday afternoon on the Mifflin County Area High School diamond.
The victory earned the John Lewis Shade Post 6 Chiefs another home game, an elimination bracket semifinal against DuBois Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Lawrence Township Recreation Park Field. DuBois prevailed in their first-round meeting Thursday.
A five-run third inning was key for manager Sid Lansberry’s Chiefs.
Down 2-0, they filled the sacks on singles by Bryce Timko and Justin Fedder around a walk to Thayne Morgan.
Mifflin County starter Zach Hostetler retired the next two batters while surrendering a run on a wild pitch before walking Jarrit Wagner to load the bases again.
Will Myers made him pay with a two-run single, and Jake Sorbera followed with another hit to drive in Wagner. With runners on the corners, Sorbera broke for second on a forced balk play, and Myers stole home.
Clearfield (13-7) inched ahead 6-2 in the fourth when Fedder singled home Morgan, who had received a walk from reliever Ryan Walker and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
However, the hosts responded with seven hits off Brandon Orsich to draw even. Hostetler, Walker, Ross Underhill and Ty Bodtorf had the RBI singles.
The tie didn’t last long as Myers’ single and two walks gave Timko an RBI opportunity that he cashed with a sacrifice fly for what proved to be the winning run.
Walks to Josh Sorbera and Ty Bender turned into insurance runs in the sixth on Jake Sorbera’s sacrifice fly and a Mifflin County error.
Orsich returned to form over the last three innings to complete his seventh win in eight decisions. He struck out four, did not allow a walk and gave up four earned runs.
Morgan, Fedder and Myers had two hits apiece for the Chiefs.
Hostetler, Underhill and Isaac Maclay each had three and Walker added two for Mifflin County.
DuBois ousted Bellefonte 4-0 in Saturday’s other game.
The Clearfield-DuBois winner will play again Monday on the home field of the loser’s of Sunday afternoon’s winner’s bracket final between State College and Beech Creek.
CLEARFIELD — 9
Thayne Morgan ss 3220, Justin Fedder 2b 5121, Josh Sorbera c 4100, Ty Bender rf 3100, Jarrit Wagner dh 1100, Will Myers 3b 2222, Jake Sorbera lf 2012, Reese Wilson cf 3000, Bryce Timko 1b 3111. TOTALS: 26 9 8 6.
MIFFLIN COUNTY — 6
Zach Hostetler p-lf 5132, Ryan Walker 1b-p-1b 4021, Ross Underhill 3b 4132, Andrew Larson cf-2b, Ty Bodtorf ss-c 4011, Cade Attick 2b-ss 3110, Nick Hostetler lf-rf-cf 4000, Isaac Maclay rf-1b-rf 4230, Aaron Kanagy c-p 4110. TOTALS: 36 6 14 6.
Score by Innings
Clearfield       005 112 0 – 9   8 3
Mifflin County 020 400 0 – 6 14 3
E – Morgan, Fedder, Myers; Larson, Bodtorf, Attick. LOB – Clearfield 8; Mifflin County 10. Sac – Wagner. SF – Ja. Sorbera, Timko. SB – Morgan 2, Myers; Attick. CS – Wagner (by Kanagy).
Pitching
Clearfield – Orsich 7 IP, 14 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K.
Mifflin County – Z. Hostetler 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K; Walker 2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 0 K; Kanagy 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
HB – Orsich 1 (Attick). WP – Z. Hostetler 2, Walker 1.
W – Orsich (7-1). L – Walker.
