PHILIPSBURG-It was just two days ago that both the Clearfield Bison and the Philipsburg-Osceola Mounties finally got to face one another after what was to be their season opener back in the early part of April. The Mounties took that victory, 6-4, despite the Bison trying to rally in the final inning. Fast forward two days later, two teams that were familiar with themselves exchanged lineup cards with the exact same lineup as days earlier. This time, the game between both teams would happen in Philipsburg.
It felt like a case of deja vu, because the Bison found themselves down as the game progressed. The difference was, the bats were working hard, to the tune of 13 hits. However, despite the advantage on offense, it was P-O that held on despite another late rally, downing Clearfield, 7-6.
Blake Prestash got the Bison on the board first thanks to an RBI-double in the first inning, but the Mounties answered one inning later to tie things up. After Clearfield got the lead back in the top of the third, P-O would put up two runs in the bottom half to take their first lead of the afternoon. Clearfield tied it back up in the fourth, but the bottom half of the inning would change the game entirely.
It took just one swing of the bat as Nick Coudriet looked at the very first pitch sent to him by Clearfield’s Ryan Gearhart, and sent it sailing for a two-RBI double to put the Mounties up for good.
That change in the score would ultimately be the one to hand Gearhart the loss on the afternoon. He tossed six innings, striking out only one, but walked six batters in the losing effort. On the opposite side, Colby Hahn managed to get the win despite giving up eight of the 13 hits on the afternoon. He would strike out five in the effort, while walking only one.
Clearfield scored one more run in the fifth, but P-O doubled down in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-4 advantage, which it held until the seventh.
Just like two days earlier, the Bison began a rally and would add more hits to their total, as relief pitcher Denny Prestash was having trouble of his own trying to keep the Bison in check. However, he settled down long enough to halt the Bison rally, giving P-O it’s second straight win over the Bison in three days.
Cleafield is hoping to get above .500 in the season, as they will take their 3-4 record on the road Saturday for one of two Saturday games on the season, a make-up from earlier this week against the Penns Valley Rams. The first pitch is a matinee start at 11 a.m.
SCORE BY INNING
Clearfield 101 110 2 – 6 13 0
Philipsburg-Osceola 012 220 X – 7 5 4
Clearfield – 6
Kyle Elensky 4330, Nolan Barr 4131, Morgen Billotte 4110, Blake Prestash 3112, Cole Bloom 4021, Ryan Gearhart 4011, Ty Troxell 4011, Mike Fester 3010, Elijah Quick 3000. TOTALS 33 6 13 6.
Philipsburg-Osceola – 7
Ben Gustkey 3100, Nick Coudriet 4012, Parker White 2100, Colby Hahn 2211, Dave Meersand 1211, Parker Scaife 2010, Jamey Massung 3012, Jake DeSimone 1100, Branden Hahn 3000. TOTALS 21 7 5 6.
- LOB: 7/4
- E: B. Prestash, C. Hahn-2, Massung
- ROE: Fester
- 2B: Barr, Prestash/Coudriet, Meersand
- SAC: Scaife
- SB: Barr, Fester/White, DeSimone
- HBP: DeSimone
- GIDP: Gearhart
PITCHING
Clearfield: Gearhart-5 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 SO, 6 BB; B. Prestash-1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 0 BB.
Philipsburg-Osceola: C. Hahn-5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 SO, 1 BB; D. Prestash-2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 SO, 0 BB.
W-C. Hahn
L-Gearhart