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Clearfield legion baseball downs Fox Township, 6-4
Friday, June 08, 2012
By Rich Murawski Assistant Sports Editor
HYDE - Clearfield scored three runs without the aid of a hit in a decisive fifth inning Thursday evening at the junior varsity field at the Bison Sports Complex to down visiting Fox Township, 6-4.
Post 6 drew four walks in the inning off Justin Quiggle, the third Fox Township pitcher used in the contest, and took advantage of a pair of costly throwing errors to plate the three runs and break a 3-3 tie.
That was all Chief starting pitcher Ronny Ogden needed to pick up the win. Ogden battled through 129 pitches, running the count full on five batters, but only walking one. He scattered 10 hits, but surrendered just three earned runs and struck out six.
"He got some big outs, and we played good defense," Clearfield head coach Sid Lansberry said. "We had a couple errors, but we made some good plays defensively. Ronny pitched with confidence, and the guys played well behind him."
Perhaps no defensive play was bigger than the double play the Chiefs turned the half inning after taking the 6-3 lead.
After Fox Township's Anthony Cesa reached on an error and Brian Merritt followed with a single, Alexx Tyger hit a soft liner to right field.
Clearfield's Zach Timchak was there to make the catch before it hit the ground, then threw a perfect strike to shortstop Cole Kephart covering second base to double off Cesa. Quiggle flew out to center field on the next pitch to end the inning.
"That double play was big, real big," Lansberry said.
The teams traded two-run first innings as Fox Township got on the board with back-to-back, two-out RBI hits from Justin Beimel and Brandon Vollmer. Vollmer's hit was a double.
Beimel was 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the game.
Clearfield answered in the bottom of the frame as Thomas Summers delivered a two-run single with two outs and the bases loaded off Fox Township starter Beimel.
Kyler Kephart, who led off with a single, and Andrew Redden, who walked, scored on the Summers hit.
Fox Township regained the led in the top of the third when Beimel's second single of the game plated Brandon Tyger, who had singled and moved to second on a wild pitch.
Post 6 knotted the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Cole Kephart legged out a one-out triple on a ball that was belted far down the left-field line.
He scored on a wild pitch two pitches later.
Brandon Tyger, who relieved Beimel in the top of the second inning, struck out the side around the Kephart three-bagger.
Tyger tossed three innings of relief and gave up just one run on two hits, while walking one batter and fanning four.
Clearfield broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth.
Kyler Kephart and Derek Danver drew consecutive walks to start the frame.
Redden followed and hit a grounder back to the pitcher (Quiggle), who tried to force Kephart out at third. But his throw was too tall for the third baseman and it went out of play in the woods beyond left field.
Kephart scored on the miscue, while Danver and Redden ended up on third and second, respectively.
After Coleman Kubala walked, Fox Township catcher Vollmer tried to pick Danver off at third. But his throw was also too high for the third baseman and both Danver and Redden scored when the ball rolled into the woods.
"That's a big play there, especially on this field," Lansberry said. "If it rolls out, you get two bases. That's a big difference.
"We got some breaks. Let's face it. We didn't have too many hits tonight."
Fox Township made some noise in the top of the seventh, getting one run across and putting the tying run in scoring position with two out. But Ogden caught Cesa looking at strike 3 on a full count to end the contest.
Fox Township outhit the Chiefs, 10-4, but Post 6 made good use of seven free passes.
Clearfield improved to 2-2 on the season. The Chiefs are back in action Saturday hosting Bellefonte.
PINCH HITS: Fox Township's 4-5-6 hitters (Brandon Tyger, Beimel and Vollmer) were on base 11 times in the game. The trio combined to go 7-for-9, and Tyger and Vollmer were each hit by a pitch. Vollmer also drew the only walk off Ogden, and Beimel reached on a fielder's choice. The rest of the Fox Township lineup was 3-for-23.
Fox Township-4
A. Tyger 1b 4110, Quiggle ss-p 4000, Calliori cf 4000, B. Tyger 3b-p-3b 3220, Beimel p-3b-ss 4132, Vollmer c 2021, Gallagher 2b 4010, Cesa rf 4000, Merritt lf 3010. Totals: 32-4-10-3.
Clearfield-6
K. Kephart 2b 2210, Danver cf 2100, Redden c 1200, Kubala 3b 2000, R. Ogden p 2000, Summers 1b 2012, C. Kephart ss 3110, Kennedy eh 3000, Collins lf 3010, Timchak rf 3000. Totals: 23-6-4-2.
Score by Innings
Fox Township 201 000 1-4 10 3
Clearfield 200 130 x-6 4 3
Errors-A. Tyger, B. Tyger, Vollmer; C. Kephart 2, Timchak. LOB-Fox Township 10, Clearfield 6. DP-Clearfield. 2B-Vollmer. 3B-C. Kephart. SB-A. Tyger, Merritt. HBP-B. Tyger, Vollmer (by R. Ogden). WP-Beimel, B. Tyger; R. Ogden 2.
Pitching
Fox Township: Beimel-1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO; B. Tyger-3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO; Quiggle-2 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO.
Clearfield: R. Ogden-7 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO.
WP-R. Ogden. LP-Quiggle.
Time-2:10.
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