DUBOIS – In what was a total team victory on Tuesday afternoon, Emma Hipps tossed her second no-hitter of the 2021 campaign to lead Clearfield into the state playoffs. The Lady Bison were able to come away victorious in a sub-regional matchup with District 5 champion Somerset, as they defeated the Lady Eagles by a 10-0 score in six innings.
The junior ace began the game with 10 straight punch outs, which went a long way in setting the tone for the kind of afternoon the Lady Eagles would have at the dish. In all, Hipps would finish the day with 14 strikeouts in six innings of work in the circle.
The 13 hits by Clearfield in the game were more than enough to pick up the victory in this one as Lauren Ressler’s three-for-four performance led the Lady Bison offense. Ressler now has 15 doubles on the season and also picked up three RBIs in the contest.
Alexis Benton and Alexis Bumbarger each went two-for-three in the game while teammate Morgan Cheek also picked up a two base hit and two RBIs in the victory.
After three strikeouts from Hipps in the top of the first, Clearfield took advantage of a two out error by Somerset that set up Olivia Bender for a two run blast, her sixth of the year, that also scored Ressler to make it a 2-0 Clearfield lead.
After another 1-2-3 inning for Somerset in the road half of the second, Clearfield added one run to their lead as Alexis Benton would reach on an error to begin the inning and would eventually come around and score on another Somerset miscue to make it 3-0 in favor of the Lady Bison.
Clearfield was able to get their third straight 1-2-3 inning to begin the ball game and added their fourth run of the game in the bottom of the third on a solo blast by Hipps to extend the lead to 4-0.
Hipps was able to pick up strikeout number 10 and 11 in the top of the fourth and the Lady Bison were able to score five more runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 9-0.
Benton and Bumbarger started the fourth with back-to-back singles and both scored on a two-run double from Cheek that made it a 6-0 Clearfield advantage.
Kylee Hertlein would follow with a single, but Cheek was thrown out trying to score, which ultimately would help Somerset extend the game an extra inning.
With one out and one on, Ruby Singleton singled and was followed up by a walk from Hipps to put two more Lady Bison on base to load them. What followed was a bases clearing double from Ressler to extend the lead to nine.
The top of the fifth saw Hipps strike out two more batters while Somerset also got their only base runner of the contest as Mary Stinbiser reached base safely on an error for the Lady Eagles.
Clearfield needed just one run in the fifth to end the game, but Somerset’s McKenna Sheeler was able to strand the game ending run at third base to keep Somerset’s season alive.
Unfortunately for the Lady Eagles, Hipps brought her best stuff to DuBois on Tuesday as they went down 1-2-3 again in the top of the sixth. Somerset was not able to hold off the Lady Bison in the bottom of the sixth as Ressler singled and then advanced to second on a fielder’s choice.
Ressler then reached third on another Somerset miscue and scored to end the game on an RBI single from Alaina Fedder, which punched the ticket for a second straight trip to the PIAA state playoffs for Clearfield.
Clearfield will take on the second-place team out of District 7, otherwise known as the WPIAL, on Monday, June 7 at a District 9 location at a time to be determined. The Lady Bison will play the loser of the Highlands vs. Beaver Area WPIAL title game which will take place on Wednesday, June 2. In all likelihood, the first-round state playoff game will take place in DuBois at Heindl Field.
Clearfield is now 15-5 in 2021 and are winners of eight straight ball games entering the state tournament.
SOMERSET – 0
Kylie Walker (3B) 3000, Mary Bowers (CF) 2000, Willa Sharbaugh (C) 2000, Kylie Landis (LF) 2000, Mary Stinebiser (2B) 2000, Gracie Bowers (1B) 2000, Olivia Svonavec (PH) 1000, Addison Tims (PH) 1000, McKenna Sheeler (P) 2000, Abigail Grosholz (RF) 2000, TOTALS 19 0 0 0.
Batting
ROE: Mary Stinebiser
FC: Mary Bowers
CLEARFIELD – 10
Ruby Singleton (CF) 4110, Emma Hipps (P) 3211, Lauren Ressler (1B) 4233, Olivia Bender (C) 4112, Alaina Fedder (SS) 4011, Alexs Benton (RF) 3220, Alexis Bumbarger (3B) 3120, Morgan Cheek (LF) 3012, Kylee Hertlein (2B) 3110, TOTALS 31 10 13 9.
Batting
2B: Alexis Bumbarger, Morgan Cheek, Lauren Ressler
HR: Olivia Bender, Emma Hipps
TB: Olivia Bender 4, Alexis Benton 2, Alexis Bumbarger 3, Morgan Cheek 2, Alaina Fedder, Kylee Hertlein, Emma Hipps 4, Lauren Ressler 4, Ruby Singleton
RBI: Olivia Bender 2, Morgan Cheek 2, Alaina Fedder, Emma Hipps, Lauren Ressler 3
ROE: Alexis Benton, Lauren Ressler
FC: Olivia Bender 2
SB: Alexis Benton 2, Alexis Bumbarger, Lauren Ressler, Anna Twigg
Score by Inning
Somerset 0 0 0 0 0 0 X
Clearfield 2 1 1 5 0 1 X
Pitching
Clearfield Emma Hipps 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 14 K.
Somerset McKenna Sheeler 5 1/3 IP, 13 H, 10 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
W – Emma Hipps (13-5). L – McKenna Sheeler (0-1).
