REYNOLDSVILLE – After scoring six runs in the first inning and then falling behind 9-7, the Clearfield Chiefs rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh and then thwarted Reynoldsville\’s comeback bid in the bottom of the frame to prevail 11-9 in a showdown of Jefferson County Legion Baseball League playoff hopefuls Monday evening.
The crucial win keeps manager Sid Lansberry\’s team right in the thick of the playoff chase at 6-6.
Adam Jury and David Welker, who combined for five hits and five runs batted in, bailed out the Chiefs in the lower seventh.
Jury came on to pitch after Corey Bookhamer, the winner in relief of Michael Moyer, walked Zac Bussard. The hard-throwing righthander notched his first save, but not before issuing two walks that loaded the bases with two outs. He ended the game with his second strikeout.
Welker\’s big contribution was an outstanding catch on John Baummer\’s one-out, two-on smash to deep left center. In robbing Baummer of an extra base hit, Welker prevented Reynoldsville from possibly tying the score. At the very least, the hosts would have been down 11-10 with two runners in scoring position and only one out.
Jury and Welker also played key roles as Clearfield took advantage of a Reynoldsville error to post six unearned runs against Jeremy Grove in the first. Jury led off with a single and later capped the outburst with a two-run double. Welker delivered a clutch single for the first two runs. Bookhamer singled and Wil Bacharach drew a walk for the other RBIs.
Reynoldsville scored all of its runs in the middle three innings against Moyer and Bookhamer, Baummer driving in three and Nate Brennen chasing home two. Baummer wound up with three hits, while Brennen, Bussard and Steve Campbell had two apiece.
Aaron Sayers got the Chiefs started in the seventh with his second single. After Bookhamer walked, Brennen replaced Grove on the mound for Reynoldsville. With one out, Jury rapped his third hit to load the bases. Then, James Zimmermann singled for an RBI and Kyle Kline, who had a run-scoring single in the fifth, walked to force in the tying run.
Jury scored the winning run on Brandon Evans\’ grounder, and Welker singled for the insurance run.
Bookhamer allowed four hits and two earned runs in three-plus innings for his fourth victory in seven decisions.
Clearfield, 13-7-1 and riding a five-game winning streak, will host Curwensville Thursday at the Bison Sports Complex.
CLEARFIELD – 11
Adam Jury ss-p 4232, Michael Moyer p 0000, James Zimmermann dh 5211, Justin Hoffman rf 0000, Kyle Kline 3b 3012, Brandon Evans c-1b-2b 4001, David Welker lf-cf 4123, Derek Danver 2b 4100, Aaron Sayers rf-lf 4220, Corey Bookhamer 1b-p-1b 2321, Wil Bacharach cf-c 1001. TOTALS: 31 11 11 11.
REYNOLDSVILLE – 9
Brian Kirk ss 5000, Zac Bussard lf 3220, Andy Keller cf-p 4112, Jeremy Grove p-1b-rf 2111, John Baummer c 5133, Nate Brennen 1b-p-1b 4112, Steve Campbell rf-cf 4021, Matt Makurka 3b 2100, Steve Sliwski 3b 1000, M. Vandervan dh 2110, John Ritzie ss 0100. TOTALS: 32 9 11 9.
Score by Innings:
Clearfield 600 010 4 – 11 11 4
Reynoldsville 005 220 0 – 9 11 2
Errors – Jury, Moyer, Danver, Sayers; Kirk, Campbell. DP – Clearfield (Kline and Bookhamer). 2B – Jury. Sac – Bacharach.
Pitching
Clearfield – Moyer 3+ IP (faced 3 batters in 4th), 7 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K; Bookhamer 3+ IP (faced 1 batter in 7th), 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K; Jury 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
Reynoldsville – Grove 6+ IP (faced 2 batters in 7th), 8 H, 9 R, 4 ER, 10 BB, 4 K; Brennen 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K; Keller 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K.
W – Bookhamer (4-3). L – Brennen. Sv – Jury (1).