Story by Braylon Obleman
TYRONE — Two teams coming into the game with identical 1-1 records had hopes of raising their record above .500 on the young season. The Clearfield Bison took down the Tyrone Golden Eagles in a close back and forth game by a score of 4-3.
The Bison’s opening day pitcher Hunter Rumsky was on the hill looking to bounce back from a tough first start against Central five days ago. The Golden Eagles had L. Hamer on the bump looking to propel his team back over the .500 mark following Monday’s loss against defending state champion Bellefonte.
Clearfield, for the first time this season, got on the board in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Anthony Lopez drew a walk to begin the game, before Cole Bloom hit an opposite field single to put the first two batters on base. A 4-6-3 double play had the inning appearing bleak following the good start. However Christian Welker came through with a single to left field to drive in Lopez, giving the Bison an early 1-0 lead.
Neither team’s offense could put a run on the board in the second, but in the third inning Tyrone scored its only runs of the game on a three-run homerun by Hamer, helping himself and giving his squad a 3-1 lead.
The top of the fifth inning saw the Bison offense get on the board for the first time since the top of first. Matt Irvin started the inning with a line drive single, before Kamden Kushner walked. Derrick Mikesell entered the game as a pinch hitter, the second straight left-handed batter hit a single up the middle to load the bases for the top of the Bison order. Anthony Lopez drew his second walk of the game to score Irvin from third, cutting the lead to 3-2. This would be the final batter for Hamer before B. McClure took over in relief. Cole Bloom made the first out of the inning, although it was a productive one as he drove in Kushner from third on a ground ball to tie the game at three. Starting pitcher Hunter Rumsky was able to boost himself and his squad with an RBI groundout to shortstop, giving the Bison their first lead since the first inning, 4-3.
Rumsky would throw the bottom half of that inning, before Craig Mays stepped in to close the door for the second game in a row.
Mays only allowed in a single base runner in his first inning on a single by K. Lehner, but he was kept at first as the Bison escaped the inning on a caught looking strikeout.
Drama would take place in the bottom of the seventh and final inning. Mays forced two straight groundouts, before A. Coleman hit a huge triple to left field to put the tying run just ninety feet away. Mays stayed composed and forced the third groundout of the inning, as shortstop Anthony Lopez threw out A. Walk to finish the game and give Clearfield a 4-3 victory.
The Bison will enjoy a six day hiatus before returning home next Tuesday to face a Hollidaysburg team who is also sitting at 2-1. The Golden Eagles will also sit with the loss until next Tuesday before facing an undefeated Punxsutawney team on the road.
Clearfield- 100 030 0 4 5 0
Tyrone 003 000 0 3 5 3
Clearfield- 4
Anthony Lopez- SS 2101, Cole Bloom- C 3011, Hunter Rumsky- P/3B 3001, Christian Welker- RF 3011, Hayvin Bumbarger- 1B 3000, O’Brian Owens- 3B/LF 3000, Matt Irvin- DH 3120, Kamden Kushner- CF 1100, Craig Mays- P 1000, Elijah Quick- LF 1000, Derrick Mikesell- LF/CF- 2110
Tyrone- 3
A Coleman- CF 1010, A. Walk- SS 3100, L. Hamer- P/C 3113, O. Oakes- RF 2000, W. Kustenbauder- 3B 1000, R. Light- C/RF 3000, K. Lehner- 2B 3020, D. Ewing- 1B 3000, G. Miller- LF 3110, B. McClure- 3B/P 3000
2B – Lehner. 3B – Coleman. HR – Hamer. SB – Coleman, Miller. E – McClure, Miller, Oakes.
Pitching
Clearfield: Rumsky (W, 1-1) 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO, Mays (Save, 1) 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Tyrone: Hamer (L) 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, McClure 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
BISON SCOREBOARD:
Date Opponent Score Record
3/18 CENTRAL ppd. 0 – 0
3/20 @ Bellefonte ppd. 0 – 0
3/22 CENTRAL 1 – 17 0 – 1
3/25 BISHOP GUILFOYLE 10 – 2 1 – 1
3/27 @ Tyrone 4 – 3 2 – 1
4/02 HOLLIDAYSBURG
4/05 SOMERSET
4/08 @ Huntingdon ppd.
4/11 GREATER JOHNSTOWN
4/12 @ Forest Hills
4/15 @ Bradford
4/16 PHIILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
4/18 @ St. Marys
4/19 @ DuBois
4/22 @ Bellwod-Antis
4/23 PENNS VALLEY
4/26 @ Bishop Carrol
4/29 @ Bald Eagle Area
5/06 @ Central
5/08 BELLEFONTE
5/10 @ Huntingdon
5/13 @ Bellefonte
5/15 PUNXSUTAWNEY
