DUBOIS — On Memorial Day at Heindl Field in DuBois, the Clearfield Lady Bison out-hit (10-7) and had fewer errors (5-1) than the Punxsutawney Lady Chucks in the District 5/9 AAAA Championship game, but the only numbers that really matter in the boxscore are the total runs. And the Lady Bison fell one short, 6-5, to close out their season with a 7-13 record, while the Lady Chucks raised theirs to 10-5 and will face the WPIAL champion June 2 in the first round of the PIAA state playoffs.
Clearfield, the number three seed, got out to an early lead by plating two runs in the top of the first inning off of Lady Chuck starter Makenna Gula.
Centerfielder Raigan Uncles started things off with a bunt to the left side for a single. After an out, second baseman Aevril Hayward reached first on a error, putting two runners on the base paths. Designated player Joell Henry then singled to center to score Uncles. After Hayward stole third, first baseman Haley Billotte drove her in with a perfectly placed slap bunt that rolled all the way to the Punxsutawney shortstop. Catcher Ellie McBride then walked to load the bases with only one out. However, Gula worked her way out of the inning with no further scoring via a strikeout, one of eight on the day, and a fielder’s choice.
Unfortunately the lead was short lived as the Lady Chucks struck back with three in the bottom of the inning. Lead off batter Olivia Toven reached second when her high infield pop up was dropped. She then reached third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch, all during Brynn Hergert’s at-bat. After the first out, Brinley Hallman walked and Avary Powell lined a double to left center to put two runners in scoring position. After the second out, Gula helped her own cause by doubling both runners in to make it 3-2. Joell Henry then came in in relief of starter Megan Wisor to get the final out of the inning, stranding Gula at second.
Despite a lead off bunt single to start the top of the second, the Lady Bison couldn’t muster a run, while the Lady Chucks upped the ante to 4-2 in the bottom of the second on a Toven single to score Lindee Reed, who had doubled down the left field line to start the inning.
The Lady Bison did tie things up at four in the top of the third.
With one out, Billotte had her second hit of the day, this one a solid single up the middle. McBride then walked for the second time. Wisor then bunted for a single, but a throwing error allowed Billotte to score and allowed McBride’s courtesy runner, Mia Helsel, to go to third. Madi McBride scored Helsel with a fielder’s choice, which second baseman Reed made a defensive gem on.
Once again the Lady Chucks came right back, putting a 2-spot on the board to make it 6-4 in favor of the top seed.
Powell was hit by a pitch and scored on a Sara Gotwald double to give Punxsy the lead at 5-4. During an infield out, Gotwald advanced to third and then scored on an Alyse Powell sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher, making it 6-4.
Henry then shut out the Lady Chucks over their final three at-bats, giving the Lady Bison a chance at the win.
Clearfield inched closer with a run in the fifth to make it 6-5.
Ellie McBride reached on an error and advanced to third with two outs when her sister Madi singled down the right field line. Dalayni Kushner then bunted and reached first on another Lady Chuck error, cutting the lead to one.
An Eve Siegel single in the sixth inning, and Billotte reaching first on another bunted ball that resulted in an error in the seventh were the final two baserunners for Clearfield, as they fell one run short.
Score by innings:
Clearfield 202 010 0 5 10 1
Punxsutawney 312 000 x 6 7 5
CLEARFIELD — 5
Raigan Uncles-cf 4120, Eve Siegel-rf 4010, Aevril Hayward-2b 4110, Joell Henry-dp/p 4011, Haley Billotte-1b 4121, Ellie McBride-c 2110, Megan Wisor-p/dp 3010, Madi McBride-lf 4011, Dalayni Kushner-ss 3010, Rae Duckett-flex/3b 0000, Allsion Fedder-flex/3b 0000, TOTALS 32 5 10 3.
PUNXSUTAWNEY — 6
Olivia Toven-cf 3111, Brynn Hergert-1b 3010, Brinley Hallman-ss 3110, Avary Powell-c 1210, Sara Gotwald-3b 4111, Makenna Gula-p 2012, Alyse Powell-lf 2001, Lindee Reed-2b 3110, Ava Snyder-dp 1000, Emma Young-ph 1000, Alexis Covatch-flex/rf 000, TOTALS 23 6 7 5
E – Kushner; Gula – 3, Gotwald, Hallman. 2B – Avary Powell, Reed, Gula, Gotwald. HBP – Avary Powell. SB – Hayward, M McBride. CS – Kushner.
Pitching:
Clearfield: Wisor – .2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K. Henry – 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 1 HB, 2 K
Punxsutawney: Gula – 7 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
WP – Gula. LP – Henry (1-4).
FINAL LADY BISON SCOREBOARD:
Date Opponent Score Record
3/18 CENTRAL 11 – 1 1 – 0
3/20 @ Bellefonte 4 – 9 1 – 1
3/25 BISHOP GUILFOYLE 14 – 3 2 – 1
3/27 @ Tyrone 3 – 2 3 – 1
4/01 HOLLIDAYSBURG 10 – 9 4 – 1
4/04 @ Somerset 3 – 8 4 – 2
4/08 @ Huntingdon ppd. 4 – 2
4/11 FOREST HILLS ppd. 4 – 2
4/14 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA 3 – 14 4 – 3
4/16 @ Bellwood-Antis ppd. 4 – 3
4/17 FOREST HILLS 1 – 8 4 – 4
4/22 PENNS VALLEY 0 – 11 4 – 5
4/24 @ DuBois 2 – 12 4 – 6
4/26 @ Bellwood-Antis ppd. 4 – 6
4/28 @ Bald Eagle Area 0 – 7 4 – 7
4/29 @ Huntingdon 4 – 7 4 – 8
4/30 BRADFORD 13 – 6 5 – 8
5/02 BISHOP CARROLL 16 – 0 6 – 8
5/05 @ Greater Johnstown ppd. 6 – 8
5/06 @ Bellwood-Antis ppd. 6 – 8
5/07 @ St. MARYS 1 – 2 6 – 9
5/09 @ Bellwood-Antis 5 – 11 6 – 10
5/09 @ Central 4 – 8 6 – 11
5/12 BELLEFONTE 0 – 11 6 – 12
5/13 @ Greater Johnstown cancelled 6 – 12
5/14 PUNXSUTAWNEY ppd. 6 – 12
5/16 PUNXSUTAWNEY cancelled 6 – 12
5/19 District 5/9 Semis vs. Somerset 5 – 4 7 – 12
5/26 District 5/9 Finals vs. Punxsy 5 – 6 7 – 13
