Clearfield Babe Ruth League 15s Edged 6-4 by State College in District 8 Opener

COUDERSPORT – The Clearfield Babe Ruth League 15-Year-Old All-Stars suffered a tough loss in the District 8 Tournament Opener Friday as Ben Stills snapped a 4-4 tie with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning to give State College a 6-4 victory at the Coudersport Area Recreation Park Field.

Stills\’ game-winner was the fourth two-run circuit blow of the game, two by each team.

Derek Danver and Robert Lombardo connected for Clearfield, \”Both were well-hit balls,\” said manager Sid Lansberry, whose team had only four other hits off Tyler Hochberg.

The State College right-hander struck out nine and walked two. \”He had a real nice curve ball and got tougher as the game went on,\” Lansberry said.

Danver staked Clearfield to a first-inning lead. Isaac Butler was aboard via a walk.

State College tied it with single runs off Trevor Flanagan in the second and third frames, and Colin Muthler put the winners ahead 4-2 with a two-run homer in the fourth.

With two outs in the fifth, Shane Harper singled and Lombardo came through with his clutch homer to set the stage for Stills\’ deciding hit off Jason Bowman.

Flanagan, Bowman and Tyler Knepp held State College to seven hits. They combined for six walks, with one hit batsman and one strikeout.

Flawless defense, including a double play, kept Clearfield in the game.

\”We couldn\’t have played any better,\” Lansberry said. \”We made a lot of good plays.\”

State College has been Clearfield\’s nemesis in the district tourney.

\”That\’s a typical State College team,\” Lanserry said. \”They\’re good. And that\’s the best we\’ve played against them in the three years we\’ve been in the Babe Ruth League program.\”

Bowman had two hits for Clearfield, which will play again Saturday at 11 a.m. against either West End of Williamsport or host Potter/McKean.

STATE COLLEGE — 6

Tyler Hochberg o 4011, Nick Carruthers cf-2b 3000, Austin Mock ss 1200, Ben Stills rf 4222, Colin Muthler 1b 4112, Kyle LeBarron 2b 1010, Patrick Moore cf-lf 2000, Kyle Peterson c 2000, Colton Myers ph 0000, Brandon Auman lf 2110, Brad Thompson cf 1010, Jordan Swope 3b 2000, Nathan Strausser ph 1000.  TOTALS: 23 6 7 5.

CLEARFIELD — 4 

Isaac Buter 1b-2b 2100, Jason Bowman 4020, Derek Danver ss 4112, Shane Harper rf-cf-rf 4110, Robert Lombardo lf 4112, Trevor Flanagan p 2000, Curtis Frye rf-1b 1000, Tyler Jacobson 3b 2010, Matt Lonjin c 2000, Ethan Gillespie ph 1000, Luke Peterson 2b 2000, Tyler Knepp p 1000.  TOTALS: 29 4 6 4.

Score By Innings

State College     011 202 0 – 6 7 2
Clearfield           200 020 0 – 4 6 0

Errors – Mock, LeBarron. DP – Clearfield 1 (Danver and Frye). LOB – State College 5; Clearfield 7. 2B – Stills, Thompson. HR – Danver, Lombardo; Stills, Muthler. Sac – Swope.

Pitching

State College – Hochberg 7 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 9 K.
Clearfield – Flanagan 3-1/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K; Bowman 2-1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K; Knepp 1-1/3 IP, 0 H,  0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K.
HB – Hochberg 1 (Butler). Knepp 1 (Mock).
W – Hochberg. L – Bowman (0-1).