PAINT TWP., Pa. – Down 6-3 going to the bottom of the fifth, Clarion rallied past rival and visiting Clarion-Limestone, 7-6, to finish the KSAC season a perfect 9-0.
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C-L, which trailed 3-0 after an inning, roared back to take a 6-3 lead on a three-run home run by Tommy Smith with two outs in the top of the fifth.
Clarion manager Rob Jewett had turned to ace Tanner Miller to preserve the tie game opting for a lefty-on-lefty matchup with Smith. But the senior shortstop/pitcher for the Lions ruined the plan by taking a 2-0 pitch over the right-field fence.
But Clarion never flinched.
The Bobcats got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Derek Smail doubled leading off against Logan Lutz and came home when Devon Lauer singled to right and right fielder Jayden Siwiecki misplayed the ball allowing Lauer to go to second.
But Lutz, who recorded his 100th career strikeout in the first inning, buckled down and got Miller to line out before picking up strikeouts 101 and 102 of Matt Alston and Hayden Weber to keep the Lion lead at 6-4.
Logan Lutz recorded his 100th career strikeout for the Lions. He had three Ks in the game and has 102 for his career. Photo by Diane Lutz
But walks, C-L walked 11 batters in the game, caught up to the Lions in the sixth.
Wyatt Waterson drew a leadoff walk against Lutz ending the junior’s day. It was the seventh free pass issued by Lutz, who had come into the contest issuing just six all season.
Dawson Smail greeted Smith, who relieved, with an infield single up the middle before Bryce Brinkley drew a walk to load the bases.
Noah Harrison then walked to get the Bobcats within a run before Smail scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
Another walk, this time to Derek Smail, reloaded the bases, and a sac fly to left by Devon Lauer off Kohen Kemmer gave Clarion a 7-6 lead.
Clarion scored three runs, twice in the first, on bases-loaded walks, and also scored two more runs on wild pitches while plating a sixth on a sac fly.
Harrison and Brinkley, who were named the co-Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Players of the Game, talked about the patience on the Cole Orthodontic Associates Postgame Interview.
Brinkley drew two of the 11 walks and scored twice while Harrison was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI.
Dawson Smail went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the win while Derek Smail was 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. Waterson was also on base three times going 1-for-1 with two walks and a run scored.
Miller got the win going 2 ⅓ innings allowing one run on two hits and a walk while striking out two.
Derek Smail started and went three innings allowing one earned run on four hits and three walks but was removed after throwing 75 pitches, just 43 for strikes.
Lauer came on and was lit up by the Lions allowing four earned runs pon four hits and two walks in 1 ⅔ innings.
Tommy Smith had a big day at the plate for C-L going 3-for-5 with the home run, a double, two runs scored, and three RBIs.
Jake Smith added two RBIs for the LIons going 1-for-4 with a double.
Tommy Smith took the loss. He didn’t record an out allowing two earned runs on a hit and three walks.
Lutz allowed five earned runs on six hits and the seven walks while striking out three, and Kemmer went one inning allowing a walk.
Bryce Brinkley (left) and Noah Harrison (right) were the co-Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Players of the Game. Photo by Chris Rossetti
BRADFORD/ST. MARYS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER
BRADFORD, Pa. – Bradford and St. Marys split a doubleheader at Pitt-Bradford with the homestanding Owls winning 5-2 and the Dutch holding on for a 2-1 win in Game Two.
Talan Reese got the win going seven innings allowing two unearned runs on four hits and a hit batter while striking out 11.
Reese also drove in two runs going 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Evan Whitmore added a 2-for-3 day for the Owls with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored while Anthony Lama went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Jackson Vollmer was 1-for-3 with two RBIs for St. Marys.
Ben Paul took the loss allowing five runs, three earned, on four hits and six walks in four innings of work.
In the second game, Lucas Bauer and Mason Nicklas helped pitch St. Marys to the 2-1 win.
Bauer got the win going 4 ⅔ innings allowing an earned run on a hit and five walks while striking out 10.
The duo outdueled Brody Haviland who went 6 ⅔ innings allowing two runs, on earned, on four hits and four walks while striking out four.
Vollmer went 1-for-3 with two RBIs for the Dutch.
Adam Ward went 1-for-2 with two walks and an RBI for the Owls.
JOHNSONBURG 9, BROCKWAY 7
JOHNSONBURG, Pa. – Building an 8-1 lead after five innings, Johnsonburg held off visiting Brockway, 9-7.
Ryan Delhunty drove in a pair of runs for the Rams, who broke an eight-game losing streak with the win, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Luke Zimmerman also doubled while going 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, and Eric Hoffman was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Zimmerman got the win going five innings allowing four runs, three earned, on three hit, four walks, and a hit batter while striking out nine.
Hunter Beeler got the save going 1 ⅔ innings allowing an earned run on three hits and two hit batters while striking out one.
Erik Lindemuth and Jeremy Swanson each had two hits for Brockway.
Lindemuth was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs and Swanson was 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Chad Young took the loss going five innings allowing eight runs, four earned, on seven hits, four walks, and two hit batters.
BROOKVILLE 3, REDBANK VALLEY 1
BROOKVILLE, Pa. – Owen Fleming teamed with Sergio Sotillo to lead Brookville to a 3-1 win over visiting Redbank Valley.
Fleming went six innings allowing one earned run on four hits, three walks, and a hit batter while striking out four to get the win.
Sotillo picked up the save going a scoreless, hitless inning striking out one.
Carter Kessler had an RBI for the Raiders on a sacrifice fly while Sotillo and Fleming were both 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Ty Carrier took the loss going four innings allowing three runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out four.
Carrier was 1-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Bulldog offense.
KANE 6, ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 5
KERSEY, Pa. – Phinn Chamberlain’s groundball, two-run single to left with two outs in the bottom of the sixth rallied Kane past Elk County Catholic, 6-5, at Beimel Field in Kersey.
ECC loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh against Nate McCormack before McCormack struck out Gideon Cronk looking.
Preston Darr then came in and got Matt Gilmore to pop out to third baseman Kane Scarba in foul territory to pick up the save on one pitch.
Brock Wensel got the win going six innings allowing five runs, four earned, on 11 hits and two walks while striking out five.
Isaya Miller had three hits for the Wolves going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored, while Isaiah Smith was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
Gilmore was 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored for the Crusaders while Lance O’Neill went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Frankie Smith was also 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
O’Neill took the loss in relief going 1 ⅔ innings allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits and a walk while striking out three.
DUBOIS 4, PUNXSUTAWNEY 1
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – A strong outing from Noah Farrell lifted DuBois to a 4-1 win at Punxsutawney.
Farrell, who beat the Chucks for the second straight year, went six innings allowing an unearned run on four hits, two walks, and a hit batter while striking out nine.
Grady Galiczynski came on in the seventh after Farrell reached 100 pitches and picked up the save going a scoreless inning. He didn’t allow a hit but walked two while striking out one.
Tyler Chamberlin, Danny Dixon, and Farrell each had two hits for the Beavers.
Chamberlain was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Dixon was 2-for-4, and Farrell was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Cooper Hallman was on base four times for Punxsutawney going 1-for-1 with three walks and an RBI.
Donnie Bender scored the run for the Chucks going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.
Parker Stahlman took the loss going six innings allowing three earned runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five.
NORTH CLARION 6, KEYSTONE 3
KNOX, Pa. – Kyle Rusiewicz and Wade Peters each drove in a pair of runs to lift visiting North Clarion past Keystone, 6-3.
Rusiewicz was 1-for-4 while Peters was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Drake Irwin also went 2-for-4 with two runs scored the Wolves with Ethan Carll going 2-for-4 and Logan Bish going 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a run scored.
Irwin got the win going seven innings allowing three unearned runs on seven hits and two hit batters. He struck out five.
Aidan Tharan and Chaz Renninger both had two hits for Keystone.
Tharan was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored with Renninger going 2-for-4.
Drew Keth took the loss going four innings allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven.
SMETHPORT 8, CAMERON COUNTY 4
SMETHPORT, Pa. – Down 4-0 after 3 ½ innings, Smethport scored eight unanswered runs to knock off visiting Cameron County, 8-4.
The Hubbers took the lead with a five-run fourth then added three more runs in the sixth.
Bennett Harris led the offensive charge for Smethport with a home run and a double. He was 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs.
Zach Hungiville added a triple whale going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs, and Colin Riekofsky was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Also for the Hubber, Logan Hurlburt went 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Cole Szuba got the win going five innings allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits, three walks, and two hit batters while striking out three.
Brentton McDowell picked up the save going two scoreless innings striking out two.
Ryan Shaffer scored twice for Cameron County while Jake Narby and Jesop Farabaugh each had two hits.
Shaffer was 1-for-3 with a double with Narby going 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI, and Farabaugh going 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
Treyton Tucker took the loss going five innings allowing five earned runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out two.
OTTO-ELDRED 15, OSWAYO VALLEY 0, 3 INNINGS
SHINGLEHOUSE, Pa. – On the road, Otto-Eldred scored 15 runs on just seven hits on its way to a 15-0, three-inning win over Oswayo Valley.
The Terrors also drew eight walks, were hit by three pitches, and watched Oswayo Valley commit three errors.
Jaden Prince led Otto-Eldred going 1-for-3 with a run scored and three RBIs while Manning Splain, Landon Francis, Zach Schuessler, Hunter App, and Shane Magee each drove in two runs.
Splain was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored, Francis was 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored, Schuessler was 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored, App was 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored and Magee also scored a run.
Jared Obenrader and Schuessler combined on a three-inning perfect game.
Obenrader got the win going 2 ⅔ innings striking out five with Schuessler striking out the only batter he faced.
Nik Bonney took the loss going 1 ⅓ innings allowing 11 runs, seven earned, on six hits, four walks, and three hit batters. He struck out one.
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA 5, DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 4
PHILIPSBURG, Pa. – A five-run fifth inning lifted Philipsburg-Osceola to a 5-4 win over visiting DuBois Central Catholic.
The Mounties trailed 4-0 going to the fifth but scored five unearned runs thanks to a pair of Cardinal miscues.
Parker Lamb led P-O going 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, a run scored, and two RBIs.
Lucas Peterson got the win going five innings allowing four earned runs on five hits, four walks, and a hit batter while striking out 10.
Haydn Kephart picked up the save waking two and striking out one in two innings of relief.
Brayden Zatsick was 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBIs for DCC while Carter Himes went 1-for-2 with two walks, and RBI, and a run scored.
Snowberger took the loss going five innings allowing five unearned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out eight.
BELLEFONTE 12, CLEARFIELD 1, 5 INNINGS
BELLEFONTE, Pa. – Defending PIAA Class 4A champion Bellefonte avenged a loss at Clearfield last week by routing the visiting Bison, 12-1, in five innings.
The Raiders wasted little time taking control of the game scoring nine runs in the first to take a 9-0 lead.
Braedyn Kormanic drove in three runs for Bellefonte, who lost 5-4 last Wednesday to Clearfield, while going 1-for-3.
Peyton Vancas was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored, while Oliver Thornburg went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and two runs scored.
Jacob Corman was also 2-for-2 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI in the win, and Ryan Fraley went 1-for-1 with a walk and two RBIs.
Vancas got the win in relief going two innings allowing an earned run on hit and a walk while striking out two.
O’Brian Owens had the lone RBI for Clearfield with Anthony Lopez scoring the Bison run.
Elijah Quick took the loss going ⅔ of an inning allowing nine runs, three earned, on six hits and a walk.
