CLEARFIELD – A 2-0 loss to Bustleton Legion and a forfeit win against Plainfield (Ill.) Legion Saturday left the Clearfield American Legion Post 6 baseball team with a 2-1-1 record for the Mid-Atlantic Wood Bat Showcase XXV.
\”I though it was a great experience for our kids, especially the younger players, to play with wood bats against good competition,\” Chiefs manager Sid Lansberry said. \”They played pretty well, actually.\”
As one of the hosts for the 26-team tourney, sponsored by the Bellefonte Bandits, Clearfield played all of its games at the Lawrence Township Rec Park Field.
The morning shutout by Bustleton\’s Jim Myarick cost the Chiefs a chance to advance to Sunday\’s quarterfinals.
Myarick, who was 3-1 in five starts for Holy Ghost Prep, a first-round loser in the PIAA District 1 Class AAA Playoffs to eventual state runner-up Marple Newtown, fashioned a four-hitter with eight strikeouts and only one walk.
Clearfield had two baserunners in the fourth and fifth innings, both times after two outs, but couldn\’t break through.
In the sixth, Garrett Marsh doubled into the left field corner with two outs and appeared certain to score when Parker Herrington\’s fly ball to right was dropped. However, Marsh twisted his knee after rounding third, fell and was an easy out because of the injury.
Marsh, the only player in the game with two hits, was the tough-luck loser. The righthander from DuBois allowed six singles while striking out seven and walking two in six innings. Corey Bookhamer pitched one scoreless inning in relief.
Bustleton, the Philadelphia American Legion Region III champ seven of the last 10 years, tallied both runs in the third inning. Kyle Levocz\’s single to right, a sacrifice bunt, Mike Siravo\’s infield hit and a wild pitch by Marsh produced the first one. Siravo then scored on Mike Kovacs\’ groundout.
Tournament officials awarded Clearfield a 7-0 forfeit win over Plainfield because of an incident involving the Illinois team in the previous game, a four-inning, 10-0 loss to Punxsutawney.
Earlier, Punxsy (2-2) registered a 9-0 shutout against Bustleton (1-2-1).
Clearfield, 8-6-1 for the season, returns to Jefferson County League Tuesday against front-running Punxsutawney at the Bison Sports Complex. The Chiefs will visit DuBois Wednesday and host Brookville Thursday. All games are set for 6 p.m.
BUSTLETON LEGION – 2
Mike Siravo lf 3110, Mike Kovacs 2b 3011, George Berdeja pr 0000, Sean Carchidi cf 3010, Kevin McGovern 1b 3000, Jim Myarick p 3000, Harry Davila 3b 3010, Mike Miller rf 2010, Dave Mullen pr-rf 0000, Kyle Levocz ss 1110, Jerry Smith c 2000. TOTALS: 23 2 6 1.
CLEARFIELD LEGION – 0
James Zimmermann 2b 3010, Derek Danver 3b 3000, Jarrin Campman lf 2000, Jeremy Grove lf-1b 1000, Garrett Marsh p 3020, Justin Hoffman lf 0000, Parker Herrington ss 3010, Aaron Sayers rf 1000, Chris Barr ph-rf 2000, Corey Bookhamer 1b-p 2000, Michael Moyer 1b 1000, David Ryan cf 1000, Ben McGary cf 2000, Wil Bacharach c 0000, David Welker ph 0000. TOTALS: 24 0 4 0.
Score by Innings:
Bustleton 002 000 0 – 2 6 3
Clearfield 000 000 0 – 0 4 0
Errors – Davila, Miller, Levocz. DP – Clearfield 1 (Bookhamer, Zimmermann and Danver). LOB – Bustleton 5; Clearfield 4. 2B – Marsh. Sac – Levocz, Smith. SB – Siravo, Carchidi. CS – Carchidi (by Bacharach).
Pitching
Bustleton – Myarick 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K.
Clearfield – Marsh 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; Bookhamer 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.
HB – Myarick 1 (Bacharach). WP – Marsh 2.
W – Myarick. L – Marsh (0-1).
Umpires – Mike Preston (home), Chad Weaver (bases).