HYDE — Kylie Adams spun a four-hitter and Hannah Minarchick socked a tie-breaking home run in the fifth inning as Philipsburg-Osceola pinned a 4-1 loss on Clearfield in high school softball action at the Bison Sports Complex Tuesday afternoon.
The win kept the Lady Mounties in the thick of the Mountain League chase, their 7-2 record 1½ games behind front-running Bald Eagle Area (9-1).
The youthful Lady Bison, who lost 3-1 at Philipsburg on April 6, continue to experience growing pains, now 6-7 overall even though the pitching of Emma Hipps has kept them very competitive.
“Really, the only two games that we haven’t been all year were the Bald Eagle games,” Clearfield coach Derek Danver said. “Every other game, we’ve been right in it. Sometimes, a couple hits away, a couple balls fall in or don’t fall in, a couple defensive plays and we come out on top of those games. But they just haven’t gone our way.”
Through four innings, Hipps and Adams were locked in a tight, 1-1 duel.
Then, with two outs in the fifth, Minarchick came through with her game-winning blow to straightaway center, Adria Lewis scoring ahead of her after leading off with a single.
Those were the only earned runs off Hipps, who struck out 10 Lady Mounties to keep her average in double digits and walked three. She allowed seven hits to the reigning Class AAA state champions.
“She’s putting together a great freshman season right now, and I hope she can keep it up the rest of the year,” Danver said. “She’s keeps us in every game and gives us an opportunity to win. We’re just not getting the runs for her right now.”
Clearfield’s run also was unearned, Hipps safe on a misplay, advancing to third on Olivia Bender’s ringing double to deep left field and crossing the plate on Lauren Ressler’s groundout in the fourth inning.
The Lady Mounties had broken through against Hipps in the top of the frame when Madison Lucas walked, Kam Harris dropped a single in short center and their double steal forced a throwing error.
Lucas drove in their final run in the seventh with a fly ball double to right center, chasing home Minarchick who was at second after getting aboard on a fielder’s choice that cut down Makayla Williams at the plate.
Lucas had a similar hit earlier, one of five fly balls that fell in for hits.
“We were playing deep on their better hitters and couldn’t get to them,” Danver noted.
Harris also had a pair of hits for the 9-3 Lady Mounties.
Adams, P-O’s No. 2 hurler, had five strikeouts and one walk.
“She’s a good pitcher,” Danver said. “She threw a lot of strikes. And they made plays defensively.
“I thought we looked okay at the plate. We hit some balls hard right at people. We’re just not getting the consistency.”
The Lady Bison, who are 4-6 in the league, will be at home again Thursday with Penns Valley visiting the BSC.
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA — 4
Jordan McDonald 2b 3010, Hannah Minarchick lf 4212, Madison Lucas rf 3121, Kam Harris dp 2020, Roselyn Weaver 1b 4000, Kylie Adams p 3000, Madison Kephart 3b 2000, Rachel Simpson ph 1000, Adria Lewis c 3110, Kendra Carns cf 1000, Makayla Williams ph 1000, London Cutler ss (flex) 0000. TOTALS: 27 4 7 3.
CLEARFIELD — 1
Karly Rumsky cf 3010, Alexis Bumbarger rf 3000, Emma Hipps p 3100, Olivia Bender c 3010, Lauren Ressler 1b 3001, Kyra Mollura ss 3000, Morgan Cheek lf 3010, Casey English 3b 1000, Alexis Benton pr 0000, Alyssa Twigg ph 1000, Kylee Hertlein 2b 3010. TOTALS: 26 1 4 1.
Score by Innings
Philipsburg-Osceola 000 120 1 – 4 7 1
Clearfield 000 100 0 – 1 4 2
E – McDonald; Bender, Hertlein. DP – Philipsburg-Osceola 1 (Cutler and Lewis). LOB – Philipsburg-Osceola 7; Clearfield 5. 2B – Lucas; Bender. Sac – McDonald, Carns. SB – McDonald, Minarchick.
Pitching
Philipsburg-Osceola – Adams 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K.
Clearfield – Hipps 6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K.
W – Adams. L – Hipps (5-7).
Umpires – Dave Glass (plate) and Todd Fedder (bases).
Lady Bison Scoreboard:
Date Opponent Score Record
3/26 BALD EAGLE AREA 2 – 17 0 – 1
3/29 HUNTINGDON ppd. 0 – 1
4/01 @ Philipsburg-Osceola ppd. 0 – 1
4/02 CURWENSVILLE 9 – 1 1 – 1
4/04 TYRONE 7 – 5 2 – 1
4/06 @ Philipsburg-Osceola 1 – 3 2 – 2
4/09 @ Penns Valley 3 – 4 2 – 3
4/10 HUNTINGDON 11 – 1 3 – 3
4/11 BRADFORD 15 – 3 4 – 3
4/12 CENTRAL ppd. 4 – 3
4/15 @ Bellefonte ppd. 4 – 3
4/16 CENTRAL 4 – 1 5 – 3
4/18 @ Bald Eagle Area 0 – 9 5 – 4
4/22 @ Glendale 2 – 6, 9 inn. 5 – 5
4/23 @ Huntingdon 9 – 4 6 – 5
4/26 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA ppd. 6 – 5
4/29 @ Tyrone 0 – 1 6 – 6
4/30 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA 1 – 4 6 – 7
5/02 PENNS VALLEY
5/06 @ Bellefonte
5/07 @ Central
5/08 HOLLIDAYSBURG
5/10 BELLEFONTE
5/13 @ Punxsutawney
5/15 @ Altoona