CLEARFIELD — Though held to four hits by 765-Deck/768-Roof pitcher Bill Kozlovac, the Bedford Over-The-Hillbillies found a way to extend their dynasty in the Clearfield “Past-Your-Prime” Modified Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament by scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning of Sunday’s championship game to pull out a hard-earned 5-3 victory at Bucky Strunk Memorial Field.
The win was their fourth during the 25th annual weekend for players 40 years of age and older and the second in which they managed late comebacks to match the seven outright championship trophies the Potter’s Bricklayers hauled back to Philipsburg in the first 13 years.
The Over-The-Hillbillies also shared the 2016 title with Bob Boob’s Garage of Clearfield when rain washed out the finals.
After advancing with wins over Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar 14-10 and Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub, 8-4 in the Group B round-robin play Saturday and 5-0 in the semifinals Sunday, the Over-The-Hillbillies found themselves in a 3-0 hole before they came to bat in what turned out to be a fast-moving duel of unbeatens.
All of the first-year Clearfield 765-Deck/768-Roof team’s runs were unearned because of two Bedford misplays, Andy Squires driving in two with a line single to right and Justin Fye plating the third with a ground single through the right side.
However, the runners-up never were able to add on against Kenny Fisher.
The right-hander allowed only three more hits and one walk in his fourth complete-game win.
And none of those 765-Deck/768-Roof runners reached second base.
The champs got one run back in the lower first on four consecutive walks by Kozlovac, who held them hitless until the fourth when Brian McConnell sandwiched a fly ball single to short right field between two walks before Matt Whysong made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly.
With one out in the sixth, Lee Roy beat out a spinner up the first base line, Jim Harshbarger laced a single to right and Matt Whysong drew a walk to fill the sacks. Fisher tied it up with a sac fly scoring courtesy runner Andy Wertz.
Then, courtesy runner Greg Whysong and his brother crossed the plate with the deciding runs when 765-Deck/768-Roof failed to execute what would have been an inning-ending forceout at second base.
Backed by rock-solid defense, Fisher hurled the gem of the tourney in the semifinal shutout, scattering three Denny’s singles and walking three, with only on runner getting to second base.
Wertz factored into the first three Bedford runs, scoring twice and driving in one with his third consecutive hit.
Corey Wertz belted a solo home run while Andy Wertz and Greg Whysong had two singles apiece in Bedford’s earlier win over Denny’s.
Fisher aided his own cause against Siegel’s/Buster’s with three hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Matt Whysong drove in three runs with two hits, and Harshbarger and Corey Wertz had two singles apiece.
The 765-Deck/768-Roof entry swept through Group A Saturday by nipping The Meatheads 5-4 and topping the Emporium Used-To-Be Goods 14-8.
Mike “Bear” Norris chased home two runs with a double and a single and Squires had two hits and an RBI to help give pitcher Todd Fedder enough support against The Meatheads.
Dave Master’s three singles paced a 17-hit output in the win over Emporium. Aaron Dugan, who singled twice, and Squires each had three RBIs. Fedder and Todd Hainsey, whose play at the hot corner warranted Outstanding Defensive Player recognition, chipped in with pairs of hits. Kozlovac notched the win.
In the semifinals, 765-Deck/768-Roof trailed 3-0 and 4-1 before four-spots in the fifth and sixth frames ousted the upstart Emporium. Fedder logged the win, and Jeff Aveni had a pair of singles.
The Used-To-Be Goods had staged one of the biggest outbursts in tourney history to wipe out a 10-5 deficit and eliminate Siegel’s/Buster’s 20-10 in the quarterfinals.
The first 12 batters in the third inning reached base, 11 on hits, and all scored.
Ken Myer and Rich Quiggle wound up with three hits apiece, while winning pitcher Ralph McKimm, Rick Uber, Brian Brezzelin, Dustin Geist and Paul Haviland chipped in two apiece.
In the other quarterfinal, Denny’s overcame a six-run first inning by The Meatheads to eke out an 8-7 win in the lone extra-inning game.
A two-out, two-run single by Dan Harris knotted the count in the bottom of the seventh, and pitcher Mike Greene’s fly ball single that fell in short right made it a walk-off win following a walk and a failed fielder’s choice play by The Meatheads, all with two outs.
Greene gave up only one hit over the final seven innings, holding The Meatheads hitless after the third and finishing with three clean frames.
Harris, who tripled and scored in the sixth, and Scott Cochran each had two hits.
EXTRA INNINGS — Final records showed Bedford 4-0, 765-Deck/768-Roof 3-1, Siegel’s/Buster’s and The
Meatheads 1-2 and Emporium 1-3 and Denny’s 1-3… Proceeds from concession stand sales and other fund-raisers will go to the United States Marine Corps “Toys for Tots” Program conducted by the Sgt. William Dixon Detachment of Clearfield… During a break in Saturday afternoon’s action, Jerry Bickel and Ken “Buck” Danver were presented plaques, courtesy of the Old Town Softball League, “in recognition and appreciation for 25 years of commitment and dedication in organizing and promoting the 40-and-over softball tournament and for supporting our area youth.”… Bobby Moore provided the sound equipment for pre-game and in-game music and announcements… Tourney committee spokesman Bickel thanked him as well as volunteer umpires Walter Fedder, Joe Davis, Lucas Malloy, Adam Jury, Steve Martell, Mike Pennington, Mike Norris, and Robbie Moore.
SUNDAY’S GAMES
Championship
765-DECK/768-ROOF — 3
Todd Hainsey 3b 3000, Todd Fedder cf-p 2100, Mike Norris 1b 3000, Aaron Dugan ss 3110, Dave Master eh 3100, Bill Kozlovac p 0000, Andy Quires dh 3012, Justin Fye rf 2011, Tim Guenot lf 3000, Bill Elensky 2b 3010, Jeff Aveni c 2010, Ryan Dunkle ph 1000. TOTALS: 28 3 5 3.
BEDFORD OVER-THE-HILLBILLIES — 5
Andy Wertz ss 1100, Greg Whysong cf 2000, Corey Wertz c 1000, Brett Cessna lf 1101, Brian McConnell rf 3010, Lee Roy 2b 3110, Jim Harshbarger 1b 2110, Matt Whysong eb 0101, Kenny Fisher p 2001, Don Ellis eh 2000, Devon Hosselrode eh 3011. TOTALS: 20 5 4 4.
Score by Innings
765-Deck/768 Deck 3o0 000 0 – 2 5 1
Bedford Over-The Hillbillies 100 103 x – 5 4 2
E – M. Whysong 2; Dugan. LOB – 765-Deck/768 Roof 6; Bedford Over-The-Hillbillies 12. SF – M. Whysong, Fisher. SB – G. Whysong.
Pitching
765 Deck/768 Roof – Kozlovac 5-2/3 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 12 BB, 1 K; Fedder 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
HB – Kozlovac 1(A. Wertz). WP – Kozlovac 1.
W – Fisher (4-0). L – Kozlovac (1-1).
Semifinals
Emporium Used-To-Be Goods 000 311 0 – 5 9 0
765-Deck/768-Roof 000 144 x – 9 10 1
W – Fedder (2-0). L – Ralph McKimm (1-1).
Two hits – McKimm, Kenny Meyer, Dave Burgett (E)(E); Aveni (D/R).
Double – McKimm.
Bedford Over-The-Hillbillies 101 012 0 – 5 8 0
Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub 000 000 0 – 0 3 2
W – Fisher (3-0). L – Mike Greene (1-1).
Three hits – A. Wertz (B).
Doubles – C. Wertz, Fisher (B).
Quarterfinals
Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar 45 1 00 – 10 11 5
Emporium Used-To-Be-Goods 05(12) 03 – 20 22 0
W – McKimm (1-0). L – Aaron Potter (1-1).
Three hits – Ken Meyer, Rich Quiggle (E). Two hits – Todd Vanderburgh (S/B); McKimm, Rick Uber, Brian Brezzelin, Dustin Geist, Paul Haviland (E).
Triple – McKimm.
The Meatheads 601 000 00 – 7 7 0
Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub 100 301 21 – 8 9 2
W – Greene (1-0). L – Mike Moskel (1-2).
Two hits – Jack Rumfola (M); Scott Cochran, Dan Harris (D).
Triples – Steve Terry, Harris (D). Doubles – Harris, Rick Simms (D).
* * * * * * * * * * *
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Group A
Emporium Used-To-Be Goods 000 100 1 – 2 5 3
The Meatheads 400 330 x – 10 12 4
W – Moskel (1-1). L – Dave Hallowell (0-1).
Three hits – Russel Bumbarger (M). Two hits – Dave Patrick, Matt Peacock, Greg Dixon (M).
Doubles – Brezzelin (E); Peacock (M).
Emporium Used-To-Be Goods 000 016 1 – 8 9 2
765-Deck/768 Roof 401 225 x – 14 17 4
W – Kozlovac (1-0). L – Bob Fisher (0-1).
Four hits – Master (D/R). Two hits – Pat Lewis, McKimm, Hallowell (E); Hainsey, Brian Barr, Fedder, Dugan (D/R).
Doubles – Uber, Quiggle (E); Squires, Aveni, Dunkle (D/R).
The Meatheads 100 001 2 – 4 8 4
765-Deck/768-Roof 011 120 x – 5 7 3
W – Fedder (1-0). L – Moskel (0-1).
Three hits – Kevin Lykens (M). Two hits – Norris, Squires (D/R).
Triple – Lykens (M). Double – Norris (D/R).
Group B
Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar 101 026 0 – 10 13 6
Bedford Over-The-Hillbillies 100 067 x – 14 11 5
W – Fisher (2-0). L – Jody Shimmel (0-1).
Three hits – Frank Hipps (S/B); Fisher (B). Two hits – Jeff Miller, Vanderburgh (S/B). M. Whysong, Harshbarger, C. Wertz (B).
Home run – Cessna (B). Doubles – Miller, Vanderburgh (S/B); Fisher (B).
Bedford Over-The-Hillbillies 310 013 0 – 8 12 0
Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub 101 010 0 – 4 8 2
W – Fisher (1-0). L – Doug Myers (0-1).
Two hits – A. Wertz, G. Whysong, Ellis (B).
Home run – C. Wertz (B). Triple – McConnell (B). Doubles – G. Whysong (B); Brad Hutton (D).
Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar 072 012 0 – 12 15 2
Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub 030 500 0 – 8 7 2
W – Myers (1-0). L – Potter (0-1).
Three hits – Henry, Holt (S/B). Two hits – Vanderburgh (S/B); Robert Bumbarger (D).
Double – Henry, Vanderburgh, Holt (S/B); Cochran (D).