HYDE – Getting nine hits and eight runs from the top three slots in the lineup and two-hit pitching from Mandy Rowles, the Clearfield Area High School softball team geared up for what promises to be a tough stretch run by rolling past St. Marys 13-3 in five innings at the Bison Sports Complex Tuesday afternoon.
Alanna Luzier, Megan Butler, Ashley Lias and pinch-hitter Carrie Harbold batted 1.000 in 12 plate appearances, with Butler drawing two walks and Lias laying down a sacrifice bunt in her final at-bat.
Luzier and Lias each had three hits to account for half of the Lady Bisons\’ offense. Butler had a pair of safeties, while Harbold came off the bench to single and score the run that ended the game because of the mercy rule.
\”That\’s pretty good,\” understated Lady Bison coach Bob Dixon when informed of their production. \”All in all, we played a good game. We played pretty well defensively, and Mandy pitched threw a real nice game.\”
Rowles reached double digits in wins with a six-strikeout, two-walk performance and matched Julie Colesar and Alyssa Anderson in the runs batted in column. They had two apiece.
Clearfield, 10-4 with only two losses in its last 12 games, led 3-1 after one inning. Luzier and Butler bunted for hits, and Lias singled for an RBI. The other two runs scored on Colesar\’s groundout and a Flying Dutch error.
Back-to-back doubles by Luzier and Butler ignited a five-run rally in the third frame. Lias and Rowles followed with sharp singles off loser Katie Daly. Rowles, who drove in a run, scored on a wild pitch and Colesar crossed the plate on Kenzie McGovern\’s groundout.
The Lady Bisons expanded their lead to 12-3 in the fourth, Anderson\’s two-run single the key hit.
In the fifth, Harbold\’s single, a walk and Lias\’ sacrifice set the stage for Rowles to send the fans home early with a sacrifice fly to left field.
For 5-10 St. Marys, Whitney Schlimm doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the first inning and Macy RUpprecht doubled home one run and scored on an error in the third.
\”St. Marys fought,\” Dixon said. \”They\’re trying to pick up their program. They try hard. They\’re out there giving it their all.\”
Starting with a trip to Brookville Thursday, Clearfield faces four tough games in eight days. The Lady Bisons take on DuBois (13-1), Punxsutawney (10-5) and rapidly-improving State College next week.
DuBois, beaten only by Punxsy 1-0 on April 10, is riding a 10-game win streak after knocking off defending Class AA state champion Philipsburg-Osceola 2-0 Monday, the same night State College nipped Punxsy 1-0 in eighth innings.
Clearfield lost 8-0 at DuBois on April 2 and 5-1 to Punxsy on April 8.
\”It should be interesting for the rest of the season,\” Dixon said. \”We\’re looking forward to next week, but we don\’t want to look past Brookville. We won\’t, cause Leah Dietrich just loves us. We really struggle against her.\”
Dietrich notched two wins against the Lady Bisons last year and allowed only five hits in a 2-0 loss last Thursday.
ST. MARYS — 3
Alyssa Nicklas rf 2000, Ashley Levenduski rf 1000, Whitney Schlimm ss 1210, Heidi Rupprecht 3b 2000, Macy Rupprecht cf 2111, Leanne Levenduski lf 0000, Krista Dietz 1b 2000, Lindsey Daly 1b 0000, Tammy Yanak dp 2000, Jocelyn Wensel c 2000, Joesey Williams 2b 1000, Jacinda Pistner lf-cf 1000, Katie Daly (flex) p 0000, Alicia Gerarge (flex) p 0000. TOTALS: 16 3 2 1.
CLEARFIELD — 13
Alanna Luzier 2b 3230, Carrie Harbold ph 1110, Megan Butler 3b 2221, Ashley Lias ss 3331, Mandy Rowles p 3212, Julie Colesar 1b 2212, Alyssa Anderson 3112, Kenzie McGovern c 3001, Suzie Colesar rf 1000, Sarah Kovalick lf 3000. TOTALS: 24 13 12 9.
Score by Innings
St. Marys 102 00 – 3 2 4
Clearfield 305 41 – 13 12 2
Errors – Schlimm, L. Levenduski, Dietz, Wensel; Lias, McGovern. LOB – St. Marys 1; Clearfield 5. 2B – Schlimm, M. Rupprecht; Luzier, Butler. Sac – Pistner; Lias. SF – Rowles. SB – Schlimm; M. Rupprecht; Luzier 2, Lias.
Pitching
St. Marys – K. Daly 2-2/3 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 0 K; Gerarge 1-2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 K.
Clearfield – Rowles 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.
WP – K. Daly 2, Gerarge 1; Rowles 1.
W – Rowles (10-4). L – K. Daly.
Umpires – Jim McKee (home); Jay Siegel (bases).
