Bison Give Unbeaten Beavers a Scare Before Bowing 7-3

HYDE — It’s possible there is a better team than Clearfield that still is searching for its first win as the Pennsylvania scholastic baseball season reaches the halfway mark, at least for games on the original schedule.

But it‘s doubtful.

The Bison, trying to cope with five of their six losses by a total of eight runs, had undefeated DuBois on the ropes in their annual non-league duel Monday, building a 3-0 advantage behind Jon Janocko’s arm and bat.

The big senior right-hander had not only handcuffed the .385-hitting Beavers with the aid of a key pickoff and good defense but also provided the thunder at the plate, driving in two runs with a double and a home run.

Then, it all fell apart in a 7-3 loss that coach Sid Lansberry described as a microcosm of the extremely frustrating campaign for the Bison.

“One bad inning,” he said. “That’s the bottom line.”

A two-out misplay in the fifth frame opened the door for the Beavers and, like good teams are wont to do when they catch a break, they charged into a 6-3 lead.

No. 9 hitter Andy Stanton, who had three hits, scored on the error. Jake Felix followed by ripping a double inside third base for another, and Justin Sleigh lined a single to left for two RBIs to put DuBois ahead 4-3.

After Nick LaBrasca singled and John Mohney walked, Janocko exited when he should have been sitting in the dugout with his shutout intact.

Brandon Orsich relieved with the bases full and gave up a two-run single by Devin Clark.

The six-run rally seemed to deflate the Bison, for Devon Walker closed out his route-going, five-hit performance with all four of his strikeouts in three hitless innings.

Walker is 2-0 on the heels of posting a 6-0 record with a save last year.

Lansberry pointed out the 0-7 Bison have faced the No. 1 hurlers for two unbeaten teams in back-to-back outings. Central’s Mike Mock shut them out, 10-0, with a three-hitter Thursday.

DuBois, which added an unearned run in the sixth inning, is 6-0, the best start in the 11 seasons former Bison standout second baseman Todd Stiner (Class of 1990) has since being head coach.

Stiner said he had warned his players the Clearfield record was very deceiving, and the Bison proved that in the early going.

Sharp singles by Bryson Paulinelli and Walker had the Beavers thinking otherwise, but Janocko picked off courtesy runner Cory Manning at first base and center fielder Sawyer Rowles tracked down Felix’s long drive to end the top of the first inning.

The Bison jumped in front when Curtis Collins led off the second frame with a single and raced around the sacks on Janocko’s double to deep left center. Courtesy runner Erik Sellers was held up at third on Josh Sorbera’s single to left but was able to trot home on Josh Kennedy’s fly to right.

Janocko made it 3-0 in the fourth with the Bison’s first homer of the spring to left field.

“He’s been struggling at the plate, and I was glad to see him come alive,” Lansberry said.

Janocko’s longest stint on the hill in five appearances went for naught, though.

“He deserved a better fate,” Lansberry stated. “We’re just a little snake-bitten.

“It’s hard right now, but it’s not for a lack of effort on the kids’ part. They’re still working hard at practice.”

With three more games on this week’s card, Lansberry limited Orsich to one-plus innings and sent Thomas Summers to the mound in the seventh. He allowed one hit.

Clearfield resumes Mountain League action Tuesday with Huntingdon coming to the BSC.

DUBOIS — 7

Bryson Paulinelli ss 3110, Devon Walker p 4110, Cory Manning cr 0000, Derek Heckathorne c 4100, Jake Felix 1b 4011, Adam Bankovich pr 0100, Justin Sleigh 3b 4112, Alex LaBue 2b 0000, Nick LaBrasca dh 3010, Nick Mohney pr 0100, Mason Young ph 1000, John Mohney lf 2010, Devin Clark rf 3012, Andy Stanton cf 3130.  TOTALS: 31 7 10 5.

CLEARFIELD — 3

Spencer Herrington 2b 4000, Sawyer Rowles cf 0000, Logan Puit dh 3010, Cole Kephart ss 2000, Thomas Summers 1b-rf-p 3000, Curtis Collins lf 3110, Jon Janocko p-1b 2222, Josh Sorbera c 3010, Josh Kennedy 3b 1001, Dan Collins ph 1000, Zach Timchak rf 2000, Brandon Orsich p 0000, Erik Sellers ph 1000.  TOTALS: 25 3 5 3.

Score by Innings

DuBois           000 061 0 – 7  10  1
Clearfield      020 100 0 – 3    5  3
E – Paulinelli; Kephart, Kennedy 2. DP – DuBois 1 (Heckathorne and Paulinelli). LOB – DuBois 5; Clearfield 4. 2B – Felix, Stanton; Janocko. HR – Janocko (1). SB – Paulinelli, Stanton. CS – Stanton (by Sorbera); Herrington (by Heckathorne).

Pitching

DuBois – Walker 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
Clearfield – Janocko 4-2/3 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; Orsich 1-1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K; Summers 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K.
HB – Walker 1 (Janocko). WP – Orsich 2. PO – Janocko 1 (Manning).
W – Walker (2-0). L – Janocko (0-3).

Umpires – Mark Michelucci (plate) and Lynn Gilham (bases).

Bison Scoreboard: