CLEARFIELD – The Lady Bison improved their win streak to three thanks to an 11-5 victory over the visiting Central Lady Dragons. With the win, Clearfield improves to 7-3 overall and swept the season series between the two programs.
Olivia Bender got the nod in the circle for the Lady Bison and pitched well by allowing just one earned run and striking out nine batters in a complete game victory. She was provided with ample run support as the team collected 12 hits to go with 11 runs on the afternoon.
Clearfield Head Softball Coach Derek Danver said this about his starting pitcher Bender’s performance. “She really kept them in check after the first inning and she pitched well after settling in.”
Alaina Fedder was able to smack her first varsity home run for Clearfield and her two hits, two runs scored, and four RBI’s went a long way in the Lady Bison victory. At the top of the order, Ruby Singleton and Emma Hipps continue to be a solid one-two punch to lead things off offensively for the club.
“She (Fedder) has been hitting the ball hard all year long and she has started to find some holes. I am excited to see those hard hit balls pay off as some production for her and for our team,” said Danver.
Danver also spoke about his leadoff hitter Ruby Singleton and the job she has done at the top of the Lady Bison lineup in 2021. “Ruby (Singleton) has done a phenomenal job for us in the leadoff spot. I am most impressed with her patience and discipline at the plate. She has battled with two strikes, she doesn’t swing at pitches out of the zone, and she puts the ball in play. She has proven she deserves to be in the leadoff spot.”
Singleton was three-for-four with two runs scored with Hipps recording two hits, two runs, and an RBI in the Clearfield victory. Lauren Ressler, Bender, Alexis Benton, Alexis Bumbarger, and Morgan Cheek were also able to get into the hit column against Central.
After going down 3-0 in the top of the first inning, Clearfield remained composed and was able to get one back in the bottom of the second inning as Fedder blasted a solo shot over the center field fence to make it a 3-1 game.
The bottom of the third saw Clearfield get nine of their 11 total runs as the team was able to bring 13 batters to the plate to blow the game open. Singleton was able to kick-start the offense for the Lady Bison by hitting a single to left and Hipps followed this up by reaching on an error. Clearfield was in business with two on and no out.
Both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch with Ressler at the dish who was able to walk to load the bases. With one swing of the bat, Bender helped her cause by singling to left to score both Singleton and Hipps with the hit also allowing Ressler to move to third base and Bender to move up to second on the throw.
Fedder was up next and came through once again with a two RBI double just inside the left field foul line that scored Ressler and courtesy runner Anna Twigg to give the Lady Bison their first lead at 5-3. The offensive showcase was not over as Benton singled to put two runners on and Bumbarger was able to leg out a bunt for a hit to load the bases with still no outs.
With Morgan Cheek at the plate, Fedder scored on a Central miscue in the field which allowed both Benton and Bumbarger to move up 60 feet as well. Later in the at-bat, Benton scored on a wild pitch to make it a 7-3 game as Bumbarger also moved to third on the wild pitch. Cheek was able to then add an RBI later in the at-bat as she grounded out to second which scored Bumbarger and extended the lead to 8-3.
Clearfield was able to add two more later in the inning as Singleton started some two out lightning for the team with a single to left. She scored on a Hipps double down the left field line from first base and made it a 9-3 Lady Bison advantage.
Hipps would score next as she was replaced by Ressler who belted a double to center field to help the Lady Bison score their ninth run of the inning and make it a 10-3 game.
The top of the fifth saw Central chip away at the lead as they were able to get a base hit from Lynn and a double from Renner to make it a 10-4 heading into the bottom of five.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Bison got that run back to make it a seven run lead once again as Ressler got the inning started by reaching on an error. Ressler was able to swipe second to get in scoring position and then moved to third on a fly out from Bender.
She scored via a groundout from Fedder who recorded her fourth RBI of the game. Bender then returned to the mound to finish what she started and shut the door on the Lady Dragons. She was able to work out of some trouble to get the win as the Lady Bison came away with the 11-5 win.
Oddly enough, Clearfield beat Central by the same exact score back on April 6. The win helps Clearfield to a 5-3 mark in the Mountain League and they will look to get a fourth straight win on Friday as they head to Bald Eagle Area for a 4:30 p.m. game.
The Lady Bison fell to Bald Eagle in the first game of the season series, 6-1, but will look to make it a series split between the two programs for 2021.
CENTRAL – 5
Kennedy (SS) 4210 (1B), Stock (1B), 4000, Lynn (CF), 4221, Renner (3B) 4121, Ellis (C) 4011, Dodson (LF) 2010, Hoyt (P) 3000, Rumberger (2B), 3000, Dilling (RF) 3000, TOTALS 31 5 7 3.
Batting
2B: A Kennedy, B Ellis, Renner
TB: A Kennedy 2, L Lynn 2, R Dodson, B Ellis 2, Renner 3
RBI: L Lynn, B Ellis, Renner
ROE: A Kennedy, L Lynn, Renner
FC: K Hoyt
HBP: R Dodson
CLEARFIELD – 11
Ruby Singleton (RF) 4230, Emma Hipps (SS) 4221, Lauren Ressler (DH) 3211, Olivia Bender (P) 4012, Alaina Fedder (1B) 4224, Alexis Benton (CF) 4110, Alexis Bumbarger (3B) 3110, Morgan Cheek (LF) 3011, Kylee Hertlein (RF) 2000, Anna Twigg (CR), 0100, TOTALS 31 11 12 9.
Batting
2B: Alaina Fedder, Lauren Ressler, Emma Hipps
HR: Alaina Fedder
TB: Alexis Benton, Alaina Fedder 6, Lauren Ressler 2, Alexis Bumbarger, Olivia Bender, Emma Hipps 3, Ruby Singleton 3, Morgan Cheek
RBI: Alaina Fedder 4, Lauren Ressler, Olivia Bender 2, Emma Hipps, Morgan Cheek
SAC: Kylee Hertlein
ROE: Lauren Ressler, Emma Hipps, Morgan Cheek
SB: Lauren Ressler, Ruby Singleton
Score by Inning
Central 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Clearfield 0 1 9 0 0 1 X
Pitching
Central K. Hoyt 2 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
A. Kennedy 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.
Clearfield Olivia Bender 7 IP, 7 H, 5 R. 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K.
W – Olivia Bender (2-0). L – K. Hoyt (0-1).
