HYDE — It has been a while since any baseball has been played at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School. Rainouts, and even snow outs, have turned this season into a challenge to get every game on the docket played. Finally, the Clearfield Bison were able to take to their home field ready for some competition, as the P-O Mounties were ready for some action after this exact game got postponed not once, but twice, this year.
Apparently, the Mounties were willing to wait as long as it took as they were able to use a big fourth inning to snag the lead, and hold off a late rally by the Bison. Clearfield suffered a tough 6-4 loss on the afternoon, a frustrating feeling after a late charge.
After three scoreless innings by both sides, the Mounties finally got to Clearfield’s starting pitcher, Kyle Elensky, in the fourth. After a flyout to get the first out, Parker White managed to get a single into left-center field to get a runner on. After White stole second, Colby Hahn managed to get on base due to a fielding error. One batter later, Dave Meersand connected on a 1-1 pitch to get the first run to home plate. After Jamey Massung brought in a run on s fielder’s choice, Jake DeSimone added another run with an RBI-single to right field. Brandon Hahn then added another single right down the left-field line to make the score 4-0.
That was enough for Bison head coach Sid Lansberry to make a change on the hill, going to Hunter Rumsky, as Elensky’s four innings of work were enough to tag the loss on his record, giving up four runs while striking out two.
At the same time, it was Meersand having a strong outing on the hill for Philipsburg-Osceola, as he would work six innings, giving up a single run in the effort, an RBI-single by Elijah Quick in the fifth inning, to secure the win.
P-O added runs in the top of the fifth and seventh innings, making the score 6-1 heading into the last hoorah for the Bison.
That is when, somehow, the Bison bats got going. Parker White was brought in for relief, as Meersand hit the pitch limit on the afternoon, and immediately gave up an opening walk to Ty Troxell. He then did the same to Mike Fester, putting runners on first and second. After only going nine pitches, the Mountie dugout went in for a another change on the hill, bringing in Nick Coudriet to take over.
That did not go as planned as Elensky would take an 0-1 pitch and nab it right to third base. Colby Hahn not only got the tag at third, but threw all the way to first to get the 5-3 double play, one of three on the afternoon for the Mounties, to put two outs on the board. Clearfield scored on the play as Troxell made it home, but with a runner still on second, that being Quick, Nolan Barr had an opportunity to get a rally started.
He did just that, getting a 1-0 shot just over the infield and for an RBI-single, bringing Quick home.
Morgen Billotte then loaded the count before hammering a blast into center field, a two-run double to make it 6-4 with the tying run at the plate. Blake Prestash, the heavy hitter for Clearfield, was ready to see if he could take the game into extra innings.
He connected on the first pitch from Coudriet, and saw the ball sky shallow to the infield, where Massung pulled down the pop out to end the game.
If there is such a thing as second chances in baseball, Clearfield (3-3) is going to get that second chance rather quickly. Their next slated game is on Friday afternoon, and it is a rematch against the Mounties, this time at their field above the Philipsburg-Osceola Area Senior High School. The first pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.
SCORE BY INNING
Philipsburg-Osceola 000 410 1 – 6 7 1
Clearfield 000 010 3 – 4 8 4
Philipsburg-Osceola – 6
Ben Gustkey-C 4000, Nick Coudriet-2B/P 3000, Jeremy Whitehead-LF 3120, Denny Prestash-CR 0100, Parker White-SS/P/2B 4100, Colby Hahn-3B 3102, Dave Meersand-P 4011, Jamey Massung-1B 3001, Jake Desimone-CF 3111, Brandon Hahn-RF 3030, Oliver Harpster-CR 0100. Totals 30 6 7 5.
Clearfield – 4
Kyle Elensky-P 4010, Nolan Barr-2B 4110, Morgen Billotte-CF 4012, Blake Prestash-1B 3000, Cole Bloom-C 3010, Ryan Gearhart-SS 3010, Ty Troxell-DH 2210, Mike Fester-3B 0000, Hunter Rumsky-P 1000, Elijah Quick-RF 3121. Totals 27 4 8 3.
- LOB: 6/6
- E: C. Hahn/Coudriet, Gearhart-2, Fester
- ROE: C. Hahn, White-2, Gustkey/Barr
- 2B: Whitehead, B. Hahn/Billotte
- SF: C. Hahn
- SB: White-2, Whitehead-2/Elensky
- DP: C. Hahn-2, Meersand/Fester
- GIDP: Elensky, Gearhart, Bloom
PITCHING
Philipsburg-Osceola: Meersand-6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 SO, 2 BB; White-0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 SO, 2 BB; Coudriet-1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 SO, 0 BB.
Clearfield: Elensky-4 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 SO, 1 BB; Rumsky-3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 SO, 1 BB.
W-Meersand
L-Elensky