Sorbera Blanks Beavers on Four-Hitter for Streaking Bison

DUBOIS — Staked to a 4-0 lead before he stepped on the Showers Field mound Monday afternoon, Jake Sorbera hurled a four-hit shutout at DuBois for the Clearfield Area High School baseball team’s sixth consecutive win, 8-0.

Zane Morgan led the Bison at the plate with three hits and three runs driven in, while Allan Myers singled and doubled in his first varsity start and Seth Bumbarger chipped in a pair of singles.

Clearfield (12-6) also played very good defense for one of its best all-around games of the season to move two wins ahead of St. Marys (10-8) in the chase for the No. 1 seed for the District 9 Class AAAA Playoffs.

The key was Sorbera’s performance, 80 pitches with three strikeouts and, in the last two innings, two walks and a hit batsman.

His ability to get ahead of the Beaver pitchers set him up for success against a team with a .301 batting average to notch his third win in five decisions.

“First-pitch strikes are so important for any pitcher, but especially for him,” Bison coach Sid Lansberry said. “He’s got to get that first pitch over, and that makes a difference.”

Sorbera, who blanked Curwensville for a 13-0 Mercy Rule victory in his previous start, displayed outstanding command through the first five innings when all the Beavers could muster was three singles, two of the infield variety.

“When you shut out DuBois for seven innings, that’s an excellent outing,” Lansberry said. “He was sharp. They hit some shots, but the wind was blowing in, and we made some good plays.

“He didn’t throw a lot of breaking balls until later. I think what really helped him was getting four runs in that first inning so that he could relax a little bit and throw more fastballs.”

Thayne Morgan ripped a double inside third and Reese Wilson singled to trigger Clearfield’s fast start against Matt Agosti, who had allowed only 10 hits and two earned runs over 14-2/3 innings in seven appearances.

Morgan scored on his brother Zane’s hard grounder that was misplayed and made the next three runs unearned. One out later, Will Myers walked to fill the bases ahead of Eli Glass’ liner to right for a sacrifice fly.

Then, Ty Bender and Seth Bumbarger came through with two-out, run-scoring singles.

“Those were big hits,” Lansberry said. “There’s a big difference between getting two runs and four runs right off the bat.”

In the fourth inning, singles by Bumbarger and Myers at the bottom of the order set the stage for Zane Morgan’s two-run single over first base that also came with two outs.

Morgan’s leadoff bunt single and Tommy Hazel’s liner past the mound led to the final two runs off Ryan Radaker in the seventh inning. After Myers sacrificed them up a base, Glass and Bender picked up their second RBIs with grounders.

Highlights for the defense were an around-the-horn double play started by Glass and a gem by shortstop Will Myers that prevented the Beavers from starting rallies in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively.

Myers ranged into foul territory down the left field line for a tough backhanded grab of Braden Paulinelli’s fly ball after Sorbera had plunked Drew Bankovich and walked Mitchell Ferra with one out.

“That was an athletic play, and a big out,” Lansberry said. “I was waiting for them to explode, because they’ve got that capability, but Jake did an excellent job holding them down.

“When you get a complete on Monday with three games in a row, that really helps your pitching.

“We haven’t had much luck at Showers Field, so it’s a good win. Hopefully, we’re starting to peak at the right time.”

Paulinelli had two hits for the Beavers, who tumbled to 8-9.

The Bison will travel to Altoona for a 3 p.m. game Tuesday and finish the regular season against Bald Eagle Area in a Mountain League encounter Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

CLEARFIELD — 8

Thayne Morgan 2b 4110, Reese Wilson cf 4110, Zane Morgan c 4233, Tommy Hazel lf 4010, Will Myers ss 2100, Eli Glass ss 3002, Ty Bender rf 4012, Seth Bumbarger 1b 4121, Jake Sorbera p 0000, Allan Myers dh 3120, Alec Graham pr-dh 1000. TOTALS: 33 8 11 8.

DUBOIS — 0

Drew Bankovich lf 3000, Mitchell Ferra cf 2000, Braden Paulinelli c 3020, Nick LaBrasca 1b 3000, Dylan McCluskey 3b 3000, Peter Foradora 2b 2000, Jack Mohney 2b 1000, Ethan Long rf 2000, Matt Agosti p 0000, Noah Schneider p 0000, Ryan Radaker p 0000, Ryan Pasternak dh 3000, Colin Read ss 2010, Brendan Foley ss 1010. TOTALS: 25 0 4 0.

Score by Innings

Clearfield    400  200  2 – 8  11  2
DuBois        000  000  0 – 0    4  2
E – T. Morgan, Glass; McCluskey, Foley. DP – Clearfield 1 (Glass, T. Morgan and Bumbarger). LOB – Clearfield 7; DuBois 7. 2B – T. Morgan, Myers. Sac – W. Myers. SB – T. Morgan.

Pitching

Clearfield – Sorbera 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.
DuBois – Agosti 4 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K; Schneider 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K; Radaker 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
HB – Sorbera 1 (Bankovich).
W – Sorbera (3-2). L – Agosti (0-1).

Umpires – Mark Michelucci (plate) and Keith Lepionka (bases).

Bison Scoreboard: