DUBOIS, Pa-The end of the season for the Clearfield Bison saw a big turnaround after having so many ups and downs during the months of March and April. The team finished the season on a three-game win streak, with each win coming by at least six runs. That victorious feeling led them to an opportunity to compete once more for a district championship.
With the backdrop of Showers Field and a herd of fans making the trip to Dubois, a title game against a familiar opponent was on the docket. Punxsutawney earned the top seed, and after already taking down Clearfield once on the season, they were ready for an encore. However, the Bison were ready, and kept it close and honest. It took one inning of effort for a game where it seemed the Chucks seemed in control to suddenly change course. Clearfield’s one inning of work propelled them to a difficult, yet triumphant, 4-3 victory to capture the District IX championship.
“This was a great win for us. Having already seen Punxsutawney beat us, 10-2, in the regular season, with Nevin (Day) pitching, he pretty much smoked us,” Bison head coach Sid Lansberry said afterward. “We worked hard and brought out the pitching machine three days in a row, trying to get used to pitches in the 80 (MPH) area. We started nailing his fastball, and that was a big difference.”
Day was dealing early in the evening, as through seven batters in the first two innings, he recorded four strikeouts, two of them looking. For Clearfield, Jayce Brothers got the nod as starting pitcher, and saw some slight struggles to start the afternoon.
Nolan Stahlman managed an RBI-single to right field to open the scoring, with Maddox Hetrick getting the second RBI of the day one inning later.
One moment seemed to shift the course of the game, as Landon Brady led off the third on a short hopper to short, but the ball was mishandled and he managed to make it to second on the error. The Chucks got out of the inning thanks to a ground out, fly out, and O’Brian Owens watching strike three go by him. Yet, the team could feel they were making a move as they were connecting on some of Day’s best pitches.
It was the fourth inning when Clearfield finally broke through and got Day rattled.
Despite a fielder’s choice putting the first out on the board, Day faced loaded bases with Braison Patrick coming to the place. He ground into a fielder’s choice at first, but he brought Colton Bumbarger across the plate for the first run. Another fielder’s choice by Landon Brady got Patrick out, but Connor Peacock made it home, knotting the game at two runs all. Jake Bloom then came to the plate, and after going to a 1-2 count, connected on a deep shot to center field, clearing the bases on a two-run single to suddenly take the lead and invigorate the entire Bison dugout and grandstand.
Day still wasn’t done, as he was entrusted to continue on. Punxsutawney would add another run in the fifth, but his best inning came in the seventh. Facing a pitch count that was getting close to 100, he was allowed to start the final inning.
A quick one-pitch out to Brothers started the inning, then a pair of back-to-back singles ultimately put a pair of runners on base.
Facing Bumbarger, he eclipsed 100 pitches but still managed the strikeout. He was at 103 pitches at that point, but he managed to stay just under the mandatory cutoff to be allowed to finish the next batter. He would need only three pitches to strike out Peacock, giving him the complete game. He now hoped that Peacock, who came in for relief, got rattled in the final inning to let the Chucks walk-off.
“I have to give a lot of credit to Day. He came into that last inning was amazing. I thought we had the game wrapped up with guys on second and third, with two of our best hitters at the plate,” Lansberry said. “With no pitches left, to be able to strike out the last two guys, that is a heck of a job by him.”
Peacock came to the mound in the final inning, and the fans were on edge to see what could occur.
Nolan Stahlman started the inning, sending an 0-1 pitch to right field, and into the waiting glove of Brady who managed the grab in the LED lighting. Landan Temchulla loaded the count and connected down the line to third. Brothers, who swapped positions after the pitching change with Peacock, managed to get the ball and hurled to first where Bloom snagged the throw for the second out. Scout Ryen was the final hope for the Chucks to get a tying run on base.
That hope faded on a fly to right field, as Brady grabbed the second flyout of the inning, giving Clearfield the win and the title for the 2026 season. Brothers got the win in a four-inning effort, striking out six and giving up the three runs.
“The preparation this team did leading into this game made all the difference, especially for the senior class. It’s something they really wanted, and knew they could win. Even I wouldn’t have bet on our team looking at the statistics, but they wanted to do it,” Lansberry said. “That’s a big deal and a big win for our program. I’m happy for this team, and happy for these seniors.”
Clearfield (11-9) gets nearly an entire week to prepare for the next piece of their playoff run, a District 5-9 subregional playoff against the Somerset Golden Eagles.
This contest will have a familiar feeling, as the playoff will again be played at Showers Field. The time has yet to be announced, but it will be played with the backdrop of Americana as it will be played on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25.
SCORE BY INNING
Clearfield 000 400 0 – 4 8 0
Punxsutawney 110 010 0 – 3 7 1
Clearfield – 4
Jayce Brothers-p/3b 4000, O’Brian Owens-c 4010, Noah Wriglesworth-lf 3020, Colton Bumbarger-2b 4110, Connor Peacock-3b/p 4110, Hayden Rumsky-cf 3110, Braison Patrick-ss 3011, Landon Brady-rf 3101, Jake Bloom-3012. TOTALS 31 4 8 4.
Punxsutawney – 3
Maddox Hetrick-lf 2111, Nevin Day-p 4010, Parker Stahlman-1b 3110, West-cr 0000, Nolan Stahlman-3b 4022, Landan Temchulla-2b 3000, Scout Ryen-cf 4000, Lucas Mennitti-c 2000, Gavin Jacobson-rf 3000, Lucas Silverstein-ss 2120. TOTALS 27 3 7 3.
2B: Patrick, Bumbarger/P. Stahlman, N. Stahlman
SB: Brady, Owens/Hetrick, Silverstein
CS: West
E: Silverstein
Pitching
Clearfield: Brothers-4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 SO, 5 BB; Peacock-3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 SO, 1 BB.
Punxsutawney: Day-7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 9 SO, 1 BB.
W-Brothers (4-3)
L-Day
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 | 4-3 | 11-9 |
| 5/25 vs. Somerset (In Dubois, Time TBA) District 5/9 Subregional |
