It’s was a day of upsets in District 9 playoff baseball action Wednesday with five of the eight games won by the lower-seeded team including a pair of upsets in Class 1A and Class 2A and one in Class 4A.
(Photo: Tyler Serafini of Brockway had three hits to help the seventh-seeded Rovers to the upset win over Coudersport. Photo by Paul Burdick. Check out more of Burdick’s work here)
CLASS 1A QUARTERFINALS
North Clarion 7, Elk County Catholic 6
ST. MARYS, Pa. – Matson Higgins and Logan Minich each had two doubles to help fifth-seeded North Clarion topple fourth-seeded Elk County Catholic, 7-6, at Berwind Park in St. Marys.
Higgins, who also got the win on the mound, was 2-for-5 with a run scored with Minich going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Zander Hargenrader and Sam Minich also each collected a pair of hits in the game with Hargenrader going 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored and Sam Minich finished 2-for-4 with a run scored. Korey Mills drove in a pair of runs, and Noah Meyers, Tyler Wolbert and Bryce Byers each had one RBI for the Wolves, who will play at top-seeded Oswayo Valley Thursday in the semifinals.
Higgins also pitched 5 ⅓ innings allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits and six walks while striking out five. Meyers went ⅔ of an inning giving up an unearned run on two hits before Hargenrader struck out the side in the seventh to pick up the save.
North Clarion trailed 3-1 after four but scored four runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to take a 7-3 lead before ECC got three back in the bottom of the sixth.
Mills had a two-run single in the fifth that broke a three-all tie and gave the Wolves the lead for good.
Hunter Cashmer was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a run scored and an RBI for ECC. Ryan Fritz added a single and two RBIs with Isaac Brock adding a double, a walk and a run scored and Alex Fedus picking up a double and two walks.
Brady Schneider suffered the loss going 4 ⅓ innings allowing five runs, three earned, on nine hits and a walk while striking out four. Will Uberti gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits and a walk while striking out three in 1 ⅔ innings of work with Cashmer throwing a scoreless seventh allowing a hit but getting a double play.
Clarion-Limestone 5, Clarion 3
SHIPPENVILLE, Pa. – The third time was the charm for Clarion-Limestone against rival Clarion, as the sixth-seeded Lions picked up a 5-3 win over the third-seeded Bobcats at the Clarion County Park.
C-L jumped to a 4-0 lead after 2 ½ innings and led 5-1 until Clarion scored twice in the bottom of the sixth. But the Lions were able to throw out Sterling Conner at second when the Clarion senior tried to stretch an RBI single into a double in the sixth, and that helped seal the deal.
Freshman Hayden Callen was strong on the mound going 6 ⅔ innings allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits and three walks while striking out five before reaching 100 pitches with two outs in the seventh. Curvin Goheen came on and struck out Cal German to end the game.
Callen also was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored for the Lions with Ian Hawthorn going 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI and also throwing out a runner trying to steal. Cole Grenci added a two-run hit as well, while Ayden Wiles had a double.
Cam Craig was 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI for Clarion. Spencer Miller walked three times.
Skylar Rhoades took the loss going five innings allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits and two walks while striking out 10. Miller gave up a run on two hits and a hit batter while striking out one in an inning of work, and Craig struck out the side in the seventh.
C-L will play at DCC in the semifinals Thursday at Showers Field in DuBois.
DuBois Central Catholic 4, Cameron County 0
DUBOIS, Pa. – At City Field in DuBois, Thomas Grecco and Justin Miknis combined on a four-hit shutout to lead DuBois Central Catholic to a 4-0 win over visiting Cameron County.
Grecco went 5 ⅓ innings for the second-seeded Cardinals allowing four hits and five walks while striking out nine before reaching 100 pitches. Miknis came on in a 3-0 game and earned the save going 1 ⅔ innings striking out two.
DCC jumped out early to a 2-0 lead and added runs in the fourth and sixth.
Domenic Toretti was 2-for-3 with two runs scored for the Cardinals with Garrett Prosper adding a double, a walk and an RBI.
Adam Shaffer and Ty Bauer only allowed four hits for the seventh-seeded Red Raiders with Shaffer taking the loss giving up three runs on two hits and three walks in 5 ⅔ innings. Bauer gave up a run on two hits while striking out one in a ⅓ of an inning.
Shaffer added a single on offense for Cameron County.
DCC will host C-L at Showers Field in the semifinals Thursday.
CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALS
Redbank Valley 4, Cranberry 3, 8 innings
SENECA, Pa. – Logan Wadding doubled with one out and scored on an error in the top of the eighth inning as Redbank Valley edged Cranberry, 4-3, in extra innings to advance to Thursday’s semifinals.
The fourth-seeded Berries scored a run in each of their first three at-bats but were held scoreless the rest of the way as starter Grayson Harman, Bryan Layton and Hudson Martz combined on a five-hitter.
Harman went six innings, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out five. Layton, still eligible to pitch at top-seeded Johnsonburg in Thursday’s matchup, went 1 2/3 innings with five strikeouts, allowing just one hit. He was lifted to keep his status good for the Rams and Martz got the final out on a strikeout in the bottom of the eight.
The fifth-seeded Bulldogs tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning when Nick Smith reached on an error and scored on Kobe Bonanno’s one-out single. Cameron Travis singled home a run in the Bulldogs’ two-run third.
Cranberry scored unearned runs in the first and second innings. Comiske singled in Gladin with two outs in the third to put the Berries up 3-2.
Tommy Flinspach, Adam Smerkar and Trevor Gladin pitched for Cranberry, combining on a four-hitter but walking seven. Gladin took the loss, going the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing a hit and giving up the unearned winning run with a strikeout.
Brandon Forrest singled twice for the Berries.
Brockway 8, Coudersport 6
COUDERSPORT, Pa. – Visiting and seventh-seeded Brockway built a 5-0 lead after 2 ½ innings and then held off Coudersport for an 8-6 win over the second-seeded Falcons at the Coudersport Area Recreation Park.
Tyler Serafini was 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and three RBIs to lead the Rovers offense while Santino Inzana went 2-for-4.
Winning pitcher Cameron Baka walked three times and scored a run, Zachary Foradori walked once, scored once and had two RBIs and Zane Puhala was 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Dominic Inzana chipped in a double, a walk and an RBI.
Baka went the distance throwing 93 pitches. He gave up six runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out four.
Owen Chambers was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs for Coudersport. Eli Ayers added a triple, a run scored and two RBIs, Kullen Crosby was 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs, Jacob Pitcher was 2-for-2 with a run scored and Blake Burgett doubled.
Kolby VanWhy took the loss going 1 ⅓ innings allowing two runs on two hits, four walks and a hit batter. Crosby gave up three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two in 1 ⅓ innings and Burgett allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits and four walks while striking out three in 4 ⅓.
Brockway will play at Brookville in the semifinals Thursday.
Brookville 5, Curwensville 1
BROOKVILLE, Pa. – Sophomore Aaron Park tossed a four-hit complete game as Brookville advanced to Thursday’s semifinal round with a 5-1 win over Curwensville at McKinley Field.
Park got his final out on his 12th strikeout, and on his 100th pitch to complete a solid start that started with a walk, his only one. He took a two-hit shutout into the seventh inning before the Golden Tide scored an unearned run.
The Raiders knocked out Tide ace Bryce Timko in the fourth inning. He wound up walking seven and giving up four hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Brookville scored first on Seth Dunkle’s two-out double in the second inning then scored three runs in the fourth, two of them unearned and two scoring on Dane Lyle’s two-out single. The Raiders added a run in the fifth when Trenton Gilhousen doubled with one out and scored on Brady Caylor’s one-out single.
Timko had two of the Tide’s four hits, both singles in the second and fourth innings. Park struck out 10 of 14 batters from the second through the first out of the sixth inning.
CLASS 4A SEMIFINALS
Clearfield 8, Punxsutawney 2
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – For the second straight year, Clearfield knocked off Punxsutawney in the semifinals with the third-seeded Bison using a five-run third inning to get an 8-2 win at the second-seeded Chucks.
Trailing 2-0 going to the third, Clearfield exploded for the five runs with Eli Glass delivering a game-tying two-run double followed by RBI singles from Ty Bender, Caullin Reed and Harrison Peacock.
The Bison then added three more runs in the fourth and that was plenty for Jakob Sorbera.
Sorbera went 6 ⅔ innings allowing two unearned runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out four before reaching 100 pitches. Glass came on and got the final out.
Glass was also 3-for-4 at the plate with the double, two runs scored and two RBIs with Seth Bumbarger going 3-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored. Reed was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Nathan Barr was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Reese Wilson was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored and Bender was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
Tyler Richardson, Brandon Matthews and Andrew Britton each had two hits for Punxsutawney with Britton adding an RBI. Darren Byers chipped in with a double and a run scored.
Clearfield will face St. Marys in the title game May 30 at Showers Field at DuBois at a time to be announced.
St. Marys 12, Bradford 2, 5 innings
ST. MARYS, Pa. – Top-seeded St. Marys got a four-RBI night from Brandon Sicheri to cruise to a 12-2, five-inning win over fourth-seeded Bradford under the lights at Berwind Park.
Sicheri was 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored, as St. Marys had a pair of six-run innings putting up six spots in the second and fourth.
Nate Beimel hit another home run for the Dutch and was 1-for-2 with two walks, a run scored and two RBIs with Brandon Rolley and Jake Meeker each adding doubles. Rolley was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI and Meeker was 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored.
Also for St. Marys, Shane Price went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, Jesse McKee was 1-for-2 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored, Hayden Tettis was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI and Tim Beimel was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.
The Beimel’s combined on a three-hitter as well.
Nate started and allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out eight in four innings of work. Time then worked a scoreless fifth allowing a hit while striking out three.
Isaac Gralak hit a solo home run for Bradford with Tyler Gigliotti going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
Peyton Manion took the loss going 1 ⅔ innings allowing five runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two. Adam Boyer pitched 2 ⅓ innings giving up seven runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out one.
St. Marys will face Clearfield in the title game May 30 at Showers Field in DuBois at a time to be announced.
