CURWENSVILLE – Tossing a perfect game against a rival is something that not many athletes can list on their resume. However, it is now something junior pitcher Emma Hipps can list on an already impressive athletic resume in her career with the Lady Bison.
The all-time strike out leader in Clearfield softball history continued her historic season by tossing a perfect game against the Lady Tide on Wednesday evening as the Lady Bison went on to defeat Curwensville 8-0. Hipps was able to rack up a total of 15 strikeouts on the afternoon while going two-for-two at the dish with a home run, two walks, two RBIs, and four runs scored.
“A huge accomplishment for Emma with completing the perfect game,” said Clearfield Head Softball coach Derek Danver. “She has been super close a few other times in her high school career and it was awesome to see her get it today.
“I felt great warming up,” Hipps said. “I did not think that this was a game that I would throw a perfect game in. It was pretty cool to do it in a big game like this one as well.”
The early run support allowed Hipps to get in the zone as the Lady Bison got out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Ruby Singleton reached on an error to begin the game and was driven in on a two run homer from Hipps to give the Lady Bison a 2-0 lead.
With no outs, Lauren Ressler kept the inning going with a walk and was knocked in not long after as Olivia Bender reached on an error which allowed Ressler to score and make it a 3-0 Clearfield lead. In the bottom of the first inning, Hipps was able to pick up two strikeouts and found her groove in the circle.
She got some additional run support in the next half inning as she walked with two outs and was able to steal second to get into scoring position with Ressler at the plate. Running on contact, Hipps was able to easily score via an RBI single from Ressler to make it 4-0 in favor of the Lady Bison.
After striking out the side in the bottom of the second, Clearfield was able to get another run across in the third as Alaina Fedder doubled to start the inning with Paige Houser pinch running for her. Houser was able to score later in the inning after she tagged and moved up to third on an Alexis Benton fly out and then crossed home on on a passed ball. Clearfield now led 5-0 through two and a half innings.
Hipps was able to get two more strikeouts to give her seven after one time through the lineup. She got two more runs for support in the fourth as Ruby Singleton was hit by a pitch to begin the fourth and Hipps then came through with her second hit of the game with a single to center which helped Singleton get to third.
With runners on the corners and no outs, Ressler walked to load the bases. Bender came through for the Lady Bison as she hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Singleton and make it a six run lead for the visiting team. Fedder was due up next and hit a deep fly ball that allowed Hipps to move to third and Ressler to second to put two in scoring position with two away.
Benton was due up next and was able to reach on an error that scored Hipps to extend the lead to 7-0 after three and a half innings of play. In the bottom of the fourth, Hipps improved her total to nine strikeouts and even came through with a strikeout after Curwensville leadoff hitter Abby Pentz worked a full-count.
The top of the sixth inning saw Clearfield add their final run of the ball game as Hipps started a rally with her second walk of the game. She was followed by Ressler who singled to left to put two on with no out. A Bender walk loaded the bases for the Lady Bison and Fedder came through with a sacrifice fly to make it an 8-0 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hipps was able to get through the bottom of the Curwensville lineup with two more strikeouts and was set to face the one through three hitters in order to achieve perfection.
This position is one Hipps had been in before in a Little League state playoff game in years prior, and her experience being in a moment like this showed as she kept her poise and struck out the final three batters to give her 15 for the game and secure a perfect game.
“I am just so proud of my teammates for making plays,” said Hipps. “Everyone was really in the game and were ready for the ball to be hit to them. It is always nice to have a great defense behind you.”
Another milestone Hipps achieved along the way was she tied the single season home run record in Lady Bison program history as her first inning blast gave her eight for the season in 17 games. The win helped Clearfield improve to 12-5 overall, while Curwensville falls to 12-7.
The Lady Bison conclude their regular season with a home game against Hollidaysburg on Friday, May 21 with first pitch set for 4:30 p.m. After this contest with Hollidaysburg, Clearfield will prepare for a game with St. Marys in the District 9 title game for the right to head to the state playoffs. This game is set for Thursday, May 27 in DuBois at Heindl Field.
The Lady Tide will wrap up their 2021 regular season with a showdown with the Lady Wolves of Kane Area High School. Curwensville will travel to Kane for a 4:15 p.m. matchup and will look for a season sweep over Kane in 2021. Curwensville was able to defeat Kane in the previous matchup of the season back on April 6 in an 8-0 game.
CLEARFIELD – 8
Ruby Singleton (CF) 4200, Emma Hipps (P) 2422, Lauren Ressler (1B) 2121, Olivia Bender (C) 3001, Alaina Fedder (SS) 3011, Paige Houser (PR) 0100, Alexis Benton (RF) 4010, Alexis Bumbarger (3B) 3000, Samantha Campolong (PH) 1000, Anna Twigg (LF) 3000, Kylee Hertlein (2B) 3000, TOTALS 28 8 6 5.
Batting
2B: Alaina Fedder
HR: Emma Hipps
TB: Emma Hipps 5, Lauren Ressler 2, Alaina Fedder 2, Alexis Benton
RBI: Emma Hipps 2, Lauren Ressler, Olivia Bender, Alaina Fedder
ROE: Ruby Singleton, Olivia Bender, Alexis Benton
HBP: Ruby Singleton
SB: Ruby Singleton, Emma Hipps 2, Alexis Benton
CURWENSVILLE – 0
Abby Pentz (CF) 3000, Logan Sheeder (C/P) 3000, Joslynne Freyer (P/2B) 2000, Nora Young (2B) 1000, Mackenzie Wall (SS) 2000, Teagan Harzinski (1B) 2000, Maddie Butler (2B/C) 2000, Shyanne Rudy (3B) 2000, Rylee Wiggins (RF) 2000, Kaylie Shaw (LF) 2000, TOTALS 21 0 0 0.
Score by Inning
Clearfield 3 1 1 2 0 1 0
Curwensville 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pitching
Curwensville Joslynne Freyer 3 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K.
Logan Sheeder 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K.
Clearfield Emma Hipps 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 15 K.
W – Emma Hipps (10-5). L – Joslynne Freyer (10-7).
Emma Hipps Tosses Perfect Games to Lead Lady Bison Over Curwensville 8-0
