DUBOIS — Seth Bumbarger drove in five runs while Jake Sorbera and Tommy Hazel combined on a four-hitter as the Clearfield Area High School baseball team ascended to the District 9 Class AAAA throne with a 12-2 Mercy Rule win over Bradford at Showers Field Wednesday.
Clearfield’s last district championship was in 2003, and the Bison weren’t about to be denied ending that drought as well as handing coach Sid Lansberry his 16th title trophy after putting a halt to Punxsutawney’s 13-year reign in Class AAA in the semifinals.
The Bison, who roughed up two Owl pitchers for 13 hits, grabbed a 4-1 lead with three runs in the third inning and then, following a 33-minute delay because of lightning, broke it wide open with a five-spot in the fourth.
Claiming the first AAAA crown under the PIAA’s new six-classification system sends the Bison (15-7) to the state tournament for a Monday match-up with District 7 (WPIAL) runner-up South Park (20-3), probably in DuBois or Punxsutawney at a time to be announced.
“It’s gratifying,” Lansberry said. “It’s been a long time since we won a district title. It’s a big deal for these kids, and for the coaches, too.”
Sorbera wasn’t quite as sharp as he’s been in his last four starts (one earned run in 20 innings), and though he logged three strikeouts in the first inning, Bradford (8-13) got the jump after the first of his five walks when a misplay on Danny Manion’s double off the right field wall allowed Caleb Nuzzo, aboard via a walk, to score.
“Manion, we knew, was by far their best hitter, and he stung us right off the bat,” Lansberry said. “After that, he really didn’t hurt us.”
The Bison answered right away against Manion on Reese Wilson’s single to left, Zane Morgan’s single through the right side on a hit-and-run play and Hazel’s RBI grounder.
“Real big, to even up,” Lansberry said.
Then, Sorbera kept the Owls off the board after issuing three free passes in the second and went on to give up only two more hits and one more run in his five-inning outing to earn his fourth win in six decisions.
“Jake didn’t have his best day, but he hung in there and pitched okay,” Lansberry said. “He was a little wild, but he did what we needed out of him. He did a great job.”
The junior right-hander was able to relax for his last two trips to the mound.
The Bison cashed two walks and Hazel’s rope to center to take control the second time around against Bradford’s ace hurler.
A sacrifice fly by Will Myers put them ahead before Bumbarger came through with a two-run double on a high fly that landed behind the right fielder near the fence.
Coming out of the stoppage, Sorbera surrendered a run on a walk and Tyler Gigliotti’s two-bagger to right, but then the Bison parlayed three hits with three walks to expand their lead to 9-2.
Eli Glass and, after Kyle Kirk relieved, Ty Bender received four-pitch walks to force in runs, Myers watched a full-count ball go by for another run, Bumbarger picked up his third RBI on a force and Allan Myers rammed a single through the left side to cap the rally.
Hazel’s relief task was limited to a one-hit inning when the bottom of the batting order went back to work in the sixth.
Bumbarger once again delivered the key hit, ripping a two-run double to left field to chase home Bender and Myers, who had back-to-back singles with one out.
Since Bumbarger’s average tumbled to .103 in late April, the junior first baseman has enjoyed seven two-hit performances in nine games, including the last five in a row.
“Bummy has really come on late in the season,” Lansberry said. “He had a great day.”
With two outs, Thayne Morgan whacked a long single to left center to make it a walk-off victory and set off the Bison’s celebration.
Morgan had three hits while Wilson and Will Myers joined Bumbarger in the two-hit column.
Bender, Will Myers, Bumbarger and Allan Myers — batting six through nine — accounted for six hits and nine RBIs.
“That’s the sign of a good team, one through nine all good hitters,” Lansberry said. “Manion is a good pitcher, but I thought we hit the ball off him pretty well.
“Give Bradford credit. They beat St. Marys twice and, going in, I would have had to say St. Marys was the team to beat with what they had coming back and with their pitching.”
In response to a writer asking how the district championship win compared to No. 600 for his career two games back, Lansberry replied quickly, “That 600 thing is fine, but this is current, this is now. When the year started, this is what we wanted, especially for the seniors.”
Lansberry went on to express his respect and high regard for the Morgan twins, Hazel and Will Myers two days before their graduation.
“I love the seniors,” he said. “We don’t name an MVP, we’ve never done that for a long time, but if I had to name one, it could be any of those seniors. And you could justify it, because they’ve all contributed in a lot of different ways.”
Looking ahead to the first round of states, Lansberry said, “I’m sure it’ll be a challenge. I don’t know what we’re stepping into, but I’m sure it’s a lot better competition.”
BRADFORD — 2
Tyler Gigliotti 22 3011, Caleb Nuzzo c 3100, Danny Manion p-1b 3010, Jack Pecora rf 3000, Peyton Manion 1b-2b 3010, Tom Guay 3b 2000, Kyle Kirk 2b-p 1100, Derek Sunafrank cf 000, Patrick Caskey dh 2010, Adam Cary lf 2000, Hunter Gray ph 1000. TOTALS: 23 3 4 1.
CLEARFIELD — 12
Thayne Morgan 2b 5131, Reese Wilson cf 4220, Zane Morgan c 3110, Tommy Hazel lf-p 3211, Eli Glass 3b 2101, Ty Bender rf 2211, Will Myers ss 2122, Seth Bumbarger 1b 4125, Jake Sorbera p-lf 0000, Allan Myers dh 4011. TOTALS: 29 12 13 12.
Score by Innings
Bradford 100 100 – 2 4 2
Clearfield 103 503 – 12 13 2
E – Gigliotti, Guay; Bender, Sorbera. LOB – Bradford 9; Clearfield 8. 2B – Gigliotti, D. Manion, P. Manion; Wilson, Bumbarger 2. Sac – Glass. SF – Myers. SB – Hazel.
Pitching
Bradford – D. Manion 3-1/3 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 K; Kirk 2-1/3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K.
Clearfield – Sorbera 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K; Hazel 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K.
HB – Sorbera 1 (Guay). WP – Sorbera 1.
W – Sorbera (4-2). L – D. Manion.
Umpires – Mike Campbell (plate), Terry Bean (first base), Chad Weaver (second base) and Lee Krull (third base).
Bison Scoreboard:
Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
3/27 | CENTRAL | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
3/28 | @ Central | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
3/29 | CENTRAL | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
3/30 | @ Huntingdon | 7 – 5 | 1 – 0 |
4/01 | @ Central | ppd. | 1 – 0 |
4/04 | @ Bellefonte | ppd. | 1 – 0 |
4/05 | @ Bellefonte | 0 – 10 | 1 – 1 |
4/06 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | ppd. | 1 – 1 |
4/07 | TYRONE | ppd. | 1 – 1 |
4/08 | @ Central | 2 – 8 | 1 – 2 |
4/10 | BALD EAGLE AREA | 1 – 2 | 1 – 3 |
4/11 | CURWENSVILLE | 10 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
4/13 | PENNS VALLEY | 6 – 3 | 3 – 3 |
4/17 | CENTRAL | 3 – 2, 8 inn. | 4 – 3 |
4/18 | @ Philipsburg-Osceola | 6 – 9 | 4 – 4 |
4/20 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | 3 – 2 | 5 – 4 |
4/24 | HUNTINGDON | 2 – 5 | 5 – 5 |
4/25 | TYRONE | 7 – 5 | 6 – 5 |
4/27 | BELLEFONTE | 3 – 7 | 6 – 6 |
4/28 | BROOKVILLE | 12 – 2 | 7 – 6 |
5/01 | @ Bradford | ppd. | 7 – 6 |
5/02 | @ Tyrone | 3 – 1 | 8 – 6 |
5/03 | @ Bradford | cancelled | 8 – 6 |
5/05 | @ Bald Eagle Area | ppd. | 8 – 6 |
5/08 | @ Penns Valley | 6 – 2 | 9 – 6 |
5/09 | @ Curwensville | 13 – 0 | 10 – 6 |
5/11 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA | 10 – 3 | 11 – 6 |
5/15 | @ DuBois | 8 – 0 | 12 – 6 |
5/16 | @ Altoona | 4 – 5 | 12 – 7 |
5/17 | @ Bald Eagle Area | 14 – 3 | 13 – 7 |
5/24 | District 9 AAAA Semifinals | ||
5/24 | vs. PUNXSUTAWNEY | 8 – 7, 10 inn. | 14 – 7 |
5/31 | District 9 AAAA Finals | ||
5/31 | vs. Bradford (@ DuBois) | 12 – 2 | 15 – 7 |
6/05 | PIAA State Playoffs | ||
6/05 | vs. South Park |