ST. MARYS-Having a four-game stretch in a matter of four days was looking to be a critical and difficult challenge for the Clearfield Bison. The team got a little reprieve as Wednesday’s scheduled game against Dubois ultimately was canceled because of field conditions. Players could rest, and then refocus knowing they had just one game to worry about to finish the season. Thursday afternoon, the trip to St. Marys would mark the end of the scheduled contests, and the Flying Dutchmen were prepared to give everything they had to send the Bison home disappointed.
Just like the prior two days, pitching and defense were absolutely solid all afternoon. Clearfield gave up two hits, while committing no errors. The bats came alive when needed, and the Bison finished the regular schedule on a three-game win streak, downing the Dutchmen, 8-1.
Clearfield opened the game with a two-run inning. With bases loaded, Colton Bumbarger would fly to left field for the out, sacrificing himself so that Jayce Brothers could hustle his way to the plate. Two batters later, once more with the bases loaded. Braison Patrick would be the recipient of a walk, letting O’Brian Owens trot his way to the plate for the 2-0 lead.
The Bison never had an extra-base hit the entire game, as St. Marys struggled pitching during the early stages. Tysen Biemel got the nod for the Dutchmen, but only tossed just over two innings. He walked five batters, giving up four total runs. The lone hit he gave up resulting in runs came in the third, a two-run single by Jake Bloom to make it 4-1, as St. Marys scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the second.
Clearfield’s Hayden Rumsky took the hill for the game, and despite not getting a start in just over a week, he never missed a step. A strong performance with five innings of effort, striking out ten batters, and only one earned run.
The fifth and sixth innings set the final as an RBI-single by both Brothers and Owens in the fifth made it 6-1. Another RBI came from Patrick in the sixth, and Landon Brady’s sacrifice fly set the final.
Connor Peacock, after getting the win on Monday, pitched the final two innings for Clearfield to give Rumsky the victory.
Clearfield finishes the regular season at 10-9, and now have nearly a week to prepare for the next game, another District 9 Championship opportunity. A familiar opponent awaits, one they have already played this season, as the Punxsutawney Chucks are the opposition. The two teams played on April 21 in Clearfield, with the Chucks taking a 10-2 triumph that afternoon.
This time, the two will have an evening showdown under the sunset skies and bright lights at Shower’s Field in Dubois on Wednesday, May 20. First pitch is set to hurl at 6:30 p.m.
SCORE BY INNING
Clearfield 202 022 0 – 8 9 0
St. Marys 010 000 0 – 1 2 1
Clearfield – 8
Jayce Brothers-3b 4221, O’Brian Owens-c 3111, Noah Wriglesworth-lf 5020, Colton Bumbarger-rf 3111, Connor Peacock-2b 2010, Preston Larson-cr 0100, Hayden Rumsky-p 2100, Braison Patrick-ss 1212, Landon Brady-cf 2001, Jake Bloom-1b 4012. TOTALS 26 8 9 8.
St. Marys – 1
Michael Miller-lf 2000, A. Biemel-ph 1000, Will Chapman-ph 1000, Mason Nicklas-cf 3000, Tysen Biemel-p 3000, Louie Nedzinski-1b 2110, Cameron Coudriet-2b 3000, Joel Beimel-rf 2000, Ethan Cheatle-c 2000, Benny Mecca-3b 2011, TJ Gornati-ss 2000. TOTALS 23 1 2 1.
2B: Nedzinski
HBP: Brothers, Brady, Patrick/Mecca
SF: Brady, Bumbarger
SB: Brothers, Patrick/Coudriet
Pitching
Clearfield: Rumsky-5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 10 SO, 4 BB; Peacock-2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 SO, 0 BB.
St. Marys: T. Biemel-2.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 SO, 5 BB; Nedzinski-4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 SO, 2 BB.
W-Rumsky (1-2)
L-T. Biemel
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 | PPD. | 6-7 |
| 4/30 at Bradford | PPD. | 6-7 |
| 5/4 BELLEFONTE | 2-3 | 6-8 |
| 5/6 at St. Marys | PPD. | 6-8 |
| 5/7 BISHOP GUILFOYLE | 11-1 | 7-8 |
| 5/8 at Richland (2 p.m.) | 3-7 | 7-9 |
| 5/11 TYRONE | 11-5 | 8-9 |
| 5/12 at Bradford | 13-2 | 9-9 |
| 5/13 DUBOIS | Canceled | 9-9 |
| 5/14 at St. Marys (2 p.m.) | 8-1 | 10-9 |
| 5/20 vs. Punxsutawney (In Dubois, 6:30 p.m.) District 9 Championship-Class 4A |
