Central Holds off Late Run to Down Clearfield

HYDE — One consistent thing about the baseball season for all schools is that change is constantly happening. The weather for March and part of April made it impossible to predict when teams were even going to be on the ball field. The Clearfield Bison never even got to play on their home field until April 13, as either rain the day of or poor field conditions kept them off of it. On Monday, the original plan was for the club to take a ride to Martinsburg to face off with the Central Dragons. However, due to issues at the Dragons’ field, the game was made a home one for the Bison.

Neither team got on the board in the early innings, but the Dragons began breathing some fire on the home squad. Despite a late charge, the Bison would fall to Central in a 7-4 final, dropping their record to 6-7.

It would be the fourth inning when the Dragons first got on the scoreboard.

A dropped third strike, plus a walk, put runners on first and second. Both runners would advance after Connor Peacock saw a pitch go past the catcher. Adam Loucks then grounded out to first, but it was enough to let Cody Clapper get across the plate for the lone run of the inning. That run would be the only one scored in the inning, and resulted in the lone lead change of the entire game.

Central would plate four more runs in the fifth inning, which is the inning when both teams got hot. A line drive to first baseman Jake Bloom seemed like an easy play, but he would mishandle the ball, which let Josh Beltz make his way home from second. Wyatt Dilling then doubled to left to bring in Mason Sparks, and a fielder’s choice from Clapper then allowed JJ Mouslian across the plate. Another wild pitch by Peacock brought in the fifth run of the game, and fourth in the inning, putting the Bison in a deep hole.

It was looking like a runaway for the Dragons, but Clearfield came charging back in a big way in the bottom half of the inning. An RBI-single from Jayce Brothers got it going, leading the charge of four consecutive runs during four at-bats.

Along with Brothers, Rex Butler and Colton Bumbarger accounted for RBI-singles. The lone change was when O’Brian Owens blasted a sacrifice fly to right field that brought in Brody Ryen.

That would ultimately be all the closer Clearfield got, as Central plated one run each in the final two innings.

Peacock took the loss on the afternoon, dropping his season record to 3-3, with a five-inning performance that yielded five runs and six strikeouts. In a near mirror-image, Central’s Coltin Harbaugh got the victory with a five-inning performance of his own, giving up four earned runs and striking out six as well.

Clearfield will get a day of rest before hitting the road on Wednesday afternoon to face Richland.

SCORE BY INNING

Central 000 141 1 – 7 8 2
Clearfield 000 040 0 – 4 5 2

Central – 7

Mason Sparks-1b 3111, Blake Dick-cr 0000, Troy MicNichol-c 4000, Wyatt Dilling-ss 4121, Cody Clapper-3b 3101, Colton Porecca-dh 2000, JJ Mouslian-rf/cr 1200, Adam Loucks-cf 4011, Jesse Muthler-rf 4011, Kade Robison-lf 3000, Brody Mellott-ph 1000, Josh Beltz-2b 3230. TOTALS 32 7 8 5.

Clearfield – 4

Jayce Brothers-rf 4111, O’Brian Owens-c 3001, Rex Butler-lf 4011, Colton Bumbarger-2b 4011, Connor Peacock-p 3000, Hayden Rumsky-cf 2110, Braison Patrick-ss 3000, Brody Ryen-3b 1100, Landon Brady-p 0000, Jake Bloom-1b 3110. TOTALS 27 4 5 4.

2B: Dilling
SB: Dilling, Beltz
SF: Owens
E: Muthler, Beltz/Bloom, Bumbarger

Pitching

Central: Harbaugh-5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 SO, 2 BB; Sparks-2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 SO, 1 BB.

Clearfield: Peacock-5 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 6 SO, 2 BB; Brady-2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 SO, 0 BB.

W-Harbaugh
L-Peacock (3-3)

Clearfield Bison Baseball Scoreboard

DATE AND OPPONENT	SCORE	RECORD
3/16 BISHOP GUILFOYLE	PPD.	0-0
3/19 at Tyrone	7-6	1-0
3/23 HOLLIDAYSBURG	PPD.	1-0
3/26 at Bishop Guilfoyle	6-4	2-0
3/27 BEDFORD	PPD.	2-0
3/30 at Huntingdon	0-15	2-1
4/1 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA	PPD.	2-1
4/8 at Bellwood-Antis	4-6	2-2
4/10 at Westmont Hilltop	16-10	3-2
4/13 PENNS VALLEY	2-1	4-2
4/14 HOLLIDAYSBURG	3-9	4-3
4/16 at Bald Eagle Area	6-7	4-4
4/17 BEDFORD (4 p.m.)	5-4	5-4
4/20 PUNXSUTAWNEY	PPD.	5-4
4/21 PUNXSUTAWNEY	2-10	5-5
4/23 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA	0-10	5-6
4/24 CENTRAL CAMBRIA	3-2	6-6
4/27 CENTRAL	4-7	6-7
4/29 at Richland
4/30 at Bradford
5/4 BELLEFONTE
5/6 at St. Marys
5/7 BISHOP GUILFOYLE
5/11 TYRONE
5/13 at Dubois