PUNXSUTAWNEY — An unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Brookville a 5-4 walk-off win over the Clearfield American Legion Post 6 baseball team in a key Jefferson County League showdown at Rich Kuntz Memorial Field Monday evening.
The loss dropped the 5-3 Chiefs 1½ games behind the Brookville-Punxsutawney club that is off to a 6-1 start.
After falling behind 4-0, the Chiefs posted all their runs in the third inning off Joey Dipietro.
Two walks and Seth Bumbarger’s single loaded the bases for Bryce Timko, who cleared them with a triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Allan Myers.
Clearfield was held to three hits over the final four innings by reliever Lance Pennington, who struck out three and walked one to earn the victory.
Brandon Orsich pitched a complete game in defeat, surrendering eight hits and one walk while whiffing five.
Half of Brookville’s hits came in the first inning, when Dipietro cracked a home run with two teammates aboard.
The league leaders tacked on another run in the second with two hits and a groundout.
After the Chiefs tied the score, Orsich and Pennington turned the game into a mound duel that was decided by two errors around a sacrifice bunt and a single by Dylan Ishman, Ben Reitz crossing the plate with two outs in the seventh.
Bumbarger and Will Myers had two hits apiece for Clearfield, which has road trips to DuBois Tuesday and Wednesday.
An updated schedule announced by manager Sid Lansberry shows the Chiefs taking on Curwensville in their home finale Thursday and then playing a doubleheader against Brookville at Kuntz Field Saturday starting at 11 a.m. and visiting Curwensville for a make-up game Sunday at 6 p.m.
CLEARFIELD — 4
Reese Wilson cf 3100, Seth Bumbarger 1b 3120, Bryce Timko rf 3113, Allan Myers c-lf 2011, Eli Glass 3b 3010, Will Myers ss 2020, Brandon Orsich p 3000, Jake Sorbera lf 2000, Ty Bender c 1000, Alec Graham eh 3010, Harrison Peacock 2b 1100. TOTALS: 26 4 8 4.
BROOKVILLE — 5
Tyler Park lf-cf 4000, Lucas Burkett 2b 3110, Lance Pennington cf-p 2110, Joey Dipietro p 2113, Trevor Gilhousen rf 1000, Aaron Park 3b 3010, Logan Johnston eh 3010, Ben Reitz ss 3210, Tanner LaBenne 1b 2010, Dylan Ishman c 3011, Brady Caylor rf-lf 3000. TOTALS: 29 5 8 4.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 004 000 0 – 4 8 4
Brookville 310 000 1 – 5 8 0
E – Wilson, W. Myers 2, Peacock. DP – Clearfield 1 (W. Myers, Peacock and Bumbarger); Brookville 2 (Pennington, Reitz and LaBenne; T. Park and LaBenne). LOB – Clearfield 6; Brookville 6. 2B – Bumbarger; Pennington, Johnston, LaBenne. 3B – Timko. Sac – LaBenne. SF – A. Myers. SB – Burkett, Pennington.
Pitching
Clearfield – Orsich 6-2/3 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K.
Brookville – Dipietro 3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; Pennington 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.
PO – Orsich 1 (A. Park).
W – Pennington. L – Orsich (2-1).