DUBOIS, Pa. – Down by three going to the seventh, Clarion exploded for six runs on its way to a 10-8 win over DuBois at Showers Field in DuBois.
Also see April 23 District 9 softball recaps
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The Bobcats, who trailed 6-0 heading to the fifth inning, were down 7-4 heading to the seventh when they put the first five guys on base on three singles, two in the infield, a walk, and a hit batter to close the gap to 7-6.
One out later, Dawson Smail gave Clarion the lead with an opposite-field single to left off reliever Tyler Chamberlin.
Another out later, Noah Harrison delivered the insurance with a two-run double to left-center, his second two-bagger of the game.
DuBois got a run back in the bottom of the inning off of Derek Smail, but the middle Smail brother struck out the potential tying run, Davey Aughenbaugh, to seal the win.
It finished off a strong relief appearance for Derek Smail, who went five innings in relief of Devon Lauer allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five.
He earned co-Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Game honors with his brother, Dawson, who was 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Derek Smail was 1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored.
The duo talked about the win on the Cole Orthodontic Associates Postgame Interview
DuBois jumped out to the 6-0 lead by scoring three times in the first and three more times in the second off of Devon Lauer, the District 9 Pitcher of the Year a year ago who has had some hiccups in the early going this season.
A double-error on right fielder Daunte Girvan led to the first two runs for the Beavers, as Girvan dropped Chamberlin’s fly ball to right leading off the first for the Beavers and then missed the cutoff man allowing Chamberlin to score.
Trey Wingard then had an RBI double before Ricky Clark added a sac fly to make it 3-0.
Danny Dixon then added a two-run double and Noah Farrell a sac fly in the second to make it 6-0 ending Lauer’s day after two innings in which he gave up six runs, four earned, on four hits, two walks, and a hit batter while striking out one.
While Derek Smail stabilized things for Clarion, the Bobcats couldn’t touch Farrell, who went the first four innings giving up just three hits.
But in the fifth, the sophomore got wild walking the first two he faced before Harrison had an RBI double with one out to make it 6-1.
After an intentional walk to Derek Smail loaded the bases, Lauer had an RBI infield single when Chamberlin failed to cover first, and, with two outs, Matt Alston walked bringing in another run ending Farrell’s day.
Farrell went 4 ⅔ innings allowing three earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out eight.
Sam Deeb came in and got Girvan to fly out to end the threat.
Clarion, though, got another run in the sixth after two outs when Dawson Smail doubled with one out, moved to third on a Bryce Brinkley fly out and scored on a wild pitch.
DuBois got that run back in the bottom of the inning when Talon Hodge doubled with one out and scored on a Deeb single.
In addition to the Smails, Harrison was 3-for-5 with a run scored and three RBIs for CLarion, while Alston was 1-for-2 with two walks, a run scored, and two RBIs.
Dixon went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and two RBIs for DuBois, while Hodge was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
Chamberlain, who came in with runners on first and second and no outs in the seventh, took the loss allowing four earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four.
CLEARFIELD 1, PENNS VALLEY 0
HYDE, Pa. – Craig Mays outdueled Jarret Stover, as Clearfield beat visiting Penns Valley, 1-0.
Mays went seven shutout innings allowing five hits and a walk while striking out 10. He needed just 86 pitches thanks to 63 strikes.
Stover went 5 ⅔ innings allowing one earned run on three hits, four walks, and a hit batter while striking out five. He came out of the game after tossing 102 pitches.
Clearfield scored the game’s lone run in the sixth inning when O’Brian Owens singled to center leading off and Kamden Kushner ran for him. Hayvin Bumbarger then sacrificed Kushner to second, and Kushner went to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Hunter Rumsky groundout to shortstop.
KANE 10, JOHNSONBURG 8
MT. JEWETT, Pa. – A six-run sixth inning lifted Kane to a 10-8 win over Johnsonburg.
The Wolves trailed 8-4 going to the sixth but tied the game on a two-run double by Dane Anderson before taking the lead on a two-run single by Isaya Miller.
Anderson had a pair of doubles going 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Miller went 2-for-5 with three RBIs.
Broc Wensel and Phinn Chamberlain were also 2-for-5 with a run scored each while Isiah Smith went 2-for-4 and Kane Sharba went 1-for-1 with three walks, two RBIs, and three runs scored.
Chamberlain got the win in relief of Wensel going four innings allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks while striking out four.
Wensel went three innings allowing six runs, three earned, on four hits and two walks while striking out five.
Luke Zimmerman went 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored for Johnsonburg, while Isaiah Jackson was 1-for-2 with a double, two walks, and two runs scored.
Also for the Rams, Rocco Delhunty was 3-for-4 and Eric Hoffman scored a run and had two RBIs.
Jackson took the loss going 3 ⅔ innings allowing seven runs, six earned, on 10 hits, two walks, and a hit batter while striking out two.
Cam Larkin started and went 2 ⅓ innings allowing three runs on four hits and four walks while striking out three.
CLARION-LIMESTONE 7, KEYSTONE 1
KNOX, Pa. – Tommy Smith went 1-for-2 with two walks and three RBIs to help Clarion-Limestone to a 7-1 win at Keystone.
Nick Aaron added a 3-for-4 day with a run scored and an RBI, and Logan Lutz was 1-for–2 with two walks, a run scored, and an RBI.
Kohen Kemmer got the win going four innings allowing an unearned run on three hits and a walk and three strikeouts.
Paul Craig picked up the save going three innings retiring all nine batters he faced with four strikeouts.
Noah Weckerly had a pair of hits and an RBI for Keystone.
Chaz Renninger took the loss going two innings allowing five earned runs on four hits and four walks while striking out three.
REDBANK VALLEY 11, CRANBERRY 1, 5 INNINGS
DUBOIS, Pa. – At Stern Field in DuBois, Jaxon Huffman tossed a five-inning one-hitter to lead Redbank Valley past Cranberry, 11-1, in five.
Huffman walked two and struck out seven while giving up one earned run.
Ty Carrier paced the Redbank Valley offense going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Huffman added a pair of RBIs going 2-for-4.
Also for the Bulldogs, Cole Lufsey was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, Mason Clouse was 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI, and two runs scored, and Owen Close was 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Hudson Galla was 1-for-2 with an RBI for Cranberry.
Connor Morrow took the loss going four innings allowing nine runs, seven earned, on 10 hits, two hit batters, and one walk. He struck out seven.
JUNIATA VALLEY 4, CURWENSVILLE 2
CURWENSVILLE, Pa. – Kyle Spurlin tossed five strong innings for visiting Juniata Valley in a 4-2 win over Curwensville.
Spurlin gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits and a walk while striking out eight.
Levi Thompson then picked up the save going two innings of scoreless ball allowing one hit while striking out four.
Zach Dick and Spurlin propelled the Hornets’ offense with Dick going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI and Spurlin going 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.
Andrew Pentz took the loss allowing four unearned runs on seven hits and a hit batter while striking out four.
Pentz also drove in both of the Golden Tide runs going 1-for-4.
A-C VALLEY/UNION 26, VENANGO CATHOLIC 2, 4 INNINGS
OIL CITY, Pa. – Visiting A-C Valley/Union used 15 hits, 13 walks, and 10 Venango Catholic errors to take home a 26-2, four-inning victory over the Vikings.
Trey Fleming had three of those hits going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Sebastian Link showed power going 2-for-3 with a home run, , a double, two RBIs, and three runs scored.
CXX Langdon also went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and three RBIs for the Falcon Knights, while CXX Bobbert drove in two runs while going 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
Konnor Beichner was 2-for-3 with a run scored for Venango Catholic.
