CLEARFIELD — Sometimes, the outcome of a sporting event defies all logic.
Hempfield East, which lost 22-3 to Clearfield in the winner’s bracket semifinals of the Pennsylvania American Legion Division I Region 7 Tournament Sunday, surprised everybody except its own followers by handing two-time champion Beech Creek its first loss, 2-1, in a classic pitching duel at the Lawrence Township Recreation Park Tuesday afternoon.
The two-time champion Crickets had advanced with three wins, including 7-4 over Clearfield in the winner’s bracket final Monday, but the Central Penn League titlists were handcuffed by Garrett Stevenson.
The right-hander went the distance on a five-hitter with four strikeouts and two walks, no-hitting the Crickets until one out in the sixth inning.
He was backed by a defense that never wavered and turned a pair of game-saving plays, right fielder Zayne Zalich laying out to rob Brandon Miller of an extra base hit with two runners on the move in the fifth inning and left fielder Drew Brannon initiating a relay on Toner Corl’s game-tying double that cut down Miller at the plate in the seventh.
Leadoff batter Andrew Rosenberg was clutch with his bat, driving in both runs with a seventh-inning single and a ninth-inning double that was the game-winning hit. He drove in Zalich, who had reached on a forceout and moved up on a single by John Borbonus.
Zach Eck gave Beech Creek (18-3) a ray of hope in the bottom of the ninth by clubbing a two-out triple off the right field fence, but Stevenson retired Evan Prough on a grounder to the right side.
Tanner Spangler was the tough-luck loser, pitching into the ninth while allowing seven hits and both runs.
Kolton Parker relieved after Hunter Eperesi led off by singling to right for his third hit and kept it 1-1 with a strikeout and Zalich’s forceout, but Borbonus beat out a hard shot that was deflected by Cricket first baseman Wyatt Koch to second baseman Prough before Rosenberg launched his opposite-field double to the left field fence.
Beech Creek will be the recipient of a bye into Wednesday’s 2 p.m. championship game, which will be preceded by the 11 a.m. rematch between Hempfield East (21-5) and Claysburg (27-2). They met in the opening round Saturday with Hempfield East, District 31 (Westmoreland County) runner-up, pinning the second loss of the season on the Cambria County League champs, 6-5.
Hempfield East 000 000 101 – 2 10 0
Beech Creek 000 000 100 – 1 5 0
WP – Garrett Stevenson (9 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K).
LP – Tanner Spangler (8+ IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K); Kolton Parker (1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K).
