Clearfield softball defeated by Punxsutawney, 4-2, in D-9 title game
Thursday, May 27, 2010
By Rich Murawski Assistant Sports Editor
DUBOIS - The Clearfield softball team dug itself a little too deep of a hole Wednesday at Highland Street Park. The Lady Bisons surrendered four unearned runs in the first two innings before falling to Punxsutawney, 4-2, in the District 9 class AAA title game.
The loss ended Clearfield's season, but head coach Bob Dixon said he couldn't have been more proud of the fight the Lady Bisons showed.
"One of the first things we tell the girls when we start in March is we want to end better than we started. And I truly believe we did that this year," Dixon said. "It took them 16 games and six innings to finally realize that part of playing softball is playing with heart.
"When Altoona tied us in the seventh inning at home the other night, the girls got upset and fired up. I think it was the first time this year they got fired up and wanted to play hard, and it carried over to today.
"They played hard, even though we got down. You gotta be proud of them. They didn't quit. We got down 4-0, and we sort of gave them those four runs. But we battled the whole game, and I'm real proud of them. I wish things would have ended a different way, especially for the seniors."
Punxsutawney plated three runs with two out in the bottom of the first inning.
Taylor Powell ripped a triple - the game's only extra-base hit - to start the rally. Clearfield pitcher Heather Picard hit Jenna Reitz with a one-ball, one-strike pitch to put runners on the corners.
Shawna Crago followed with a grounder that was misplayed, allowing Powell and Reitz to score and keep the inning alive. Crago stole second and third base on consecutive pitches before Amber Lelock singled to score her and put the Lady Chucks in front, 3-0.
Punxsutawney tacked on another unearned run in the bottom of the second, getting a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hannah Neal. Megan Kauffman, who reached on an error to start the inning, scored.
But after spotting the Lady Chucks a four-run advantage with shaky defense, Clearfield shored up the leather and Punxsy never threatened again.
Not only did the Lady Bisons make all the routine plays, Clearfield got spectacular defensive efforts from Mikayla Ebeling and B.J. Bowman in the outfield as well, robbing Lady Chuck hitters of extra bases.
"Mikayla made a heck of a catch out in right field, and B.J. made a great catch in center," Dixon said. "We played defense very well after those first two innings. Unfortunately we dug a hole we just couldn't quite get out of."
Picard rebounded from a tough first inning, where she gave up three hits and hit a better, to toss a complete-game, six-hitter. She struck out three batters - including the last two she faced in the sixth - and walked just one.
"She fought all game long," Dixon said of Picard. "She kept coming back and was hitting her spots pretty well. She did a heck of a job.
"She had a good year. With her coming back next year and maybe the addition of another pitcher ... we have a good start for next year."
Clearfield had the leadoff hitter on base in the second, third and fourth innings, but couldn't break through against Punxsy pitcher Kelsey Cook, who threw a one-hitter at the Lady Bisons the last time the teams met.
"We put the bats on the ball. We hit her," Dixon said. "It was a much better ball game."
Finally, in the sixth, Clearfield solved Cook.
Janell Zalno drew a four-pitch walk from Cook to start the frame. Bowman reached on a fielder's choice and Zalno was safe at second. Both runners moved up a bag on a Suzie Colesar groundout.
Mia Keener followed, drawing a walk off Cook after fouling off seven pitchers during an epic 13-pitch at-bat. During the at-bat, Cook uncorked a wild pitch and Zalno raced home with the first Lady Bison run.
Zalno also had an impressive at-bat against Cook, early in the game, making her throw 12 pitches before striking out.
"They battled the whole game," Dixon said. "I stressed to them, ‘if you get two strikes on you, you have to expand that strike zone. If you get a pitch you can't handle, try to get wood on it, and then go for the next one.
"We did that. We were fouling pitches off, pitch after pitch after pitch. We battled."
After an Ebeling strikeout, Tristan Lewis hit a single to score Bowman to make the score, 4-2. Punxsutawney made a change after the Lewis hit, putting Lelock in the circle for Cook.
Lelock struck out Mackenzie Moore to end the inning, but needed seven pitches to do it.
She then tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning to earn the save and help the Lady Chucks advance to a PIAA play-in game against the District 6 champion (either Bellefonte or Lewistown) at a day, site and time to be determined.
"We fought the whole way, and I'm so proud of the girls," Dixon said. "And I wish Punxsy luck and hope they keep winning. We'll be rooting for them."
Zalno, Colesar, Lewis and Moore each had singles for Clearfield. Colesar was also hit by a Cook pitch.
Clearfield finished the season with a record of 9-9.
"We have a good core coming back next year," Dixon said. "We have a lot to look forward to."
NOTE: Punxsutawney was 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts over the first two innings of play, but Clearfield catcher Moore gunned down back-to-back base runners in the fourth. Clearfield-2
Owens ss 4000, Zalno lf 3110, Bowman cf 3100, Colesar 3b 2010, Keener dp 2000, Ebeling rf 3000, Lewis 2b 3011, Moore c 3010, Kovalick 1b 3000, Picard (flex) p 0000. Totals: 26-2-4-1.
Punxsutawney-4
Barenchik 2b 3010, Neal c 2001, Powell 1b 3110, Reitz 3b 2110, Engeholm pr 0000, Crago dp-rf 2100, Cook p 1000, Lelock rf-p 3011, Laska ss 3020, Shields lf 1000, Davis ph 1000, Kauffman cf 2100, J. Depp ph 1000. Totals: 24-4-6-2.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 000 002 0-2 4 3
Punxsutawney 310 000 x-4 6 0
Errors-Lewis, Owens, Zalno. LOB-Clearfield 6, Punxsutawney 5. 3B-Powell. SF-Neal. SB-Reitz, Crago 2, Kauffman. CS-Laska, Shields (by Moore). HBP-Colesar (by Cook); Engeholm (by Picard). WP-Cook.
Pitching
Clearfield: Picard-6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO.
Punxsutawney: Cook-5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO; Lelock-1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 S0.
WP-Cook. LP-Picard (9-6). Save-Lelock.
Time-1:36.
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