Bobcat Baseball Team Bounces Back With Win Over Keystone (04/24/14)

The Clarion Area Baseball Team rebounded from Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Cranberry with a 9-7 win over Keystone at Veterans Field at Clarion County Park, on Wednesday.

Matt Verne holding a Keystone runner at first

Keystone opened the scoring with a run in the first inning. The Bobcats answered in the second, when Adrian Weber sacrificed Matt Verne home.

The score remained knotted at 1-all, until the top of the fourth, when Austin Wolbert doubled to left-center to drive home two runs. Wolbert would later score on a wild pitch, giving Keystone a 4-1 lead.

Clarion closed the gap to 4-2, in the bottom of the inning, when John Katis scored on a sacrifice, again by Weber.

Pushing 3 runs across in the top of the fifth, the Panthers increased their lead to 7-2. But the Bobcats came back to tie the game, at 7-all, by scoring 5 runs in the bottom of the inning. Brendan Miller, Tanner Corbett and Katis all had singles in the inning.

Reliever Max Lane threw two strikeouts in the top of the sixth, as the Bobcats held the Panthers from scoring. Then in the bottom of the inning, Matt Verne doubled home Corbett to give the Bobcats their first lead of the game. Katis singled to score Verne, giving Clarion an insurance run.

But the Cats didn’t need it. Lane opened the top of the seventh, striking out the Keystone batter. Miller threw the next batter out at first, from his shortstop position. Another strikeout by Lane.

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Weber started the game on the mound, and worked three innings, followed by Taylor Smith who had two innings of work. Lane worked two innings and was the winning picture.

Pinch runner Caleb Wilson sliding in under the tag at third

Katis had 3 hits, for the Bobcats, with 2 RBIs. He also scored two runs. Thomas Plummer had a hit and scored a run. Verne and Corbett each had a hit, with 2 RBIs, while also scoring a run. Miller and Lane each had 1 hit and a run scored. Weber had 2 RBIs and scored a run and Derek Lauer had a hit.

Caleb Wilson, Katis and Corbett each had two stolen bases. Weber, Plummer, Lane, Verne, Miller and Lauer each stole one base.

Coach Rob Jewett named Katis the Bobcats’ Player of the Game, saying, “John had a great day at the plate going 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored, 2 RBI’s and 2 SB’s. Good job today John!”

Chad Rogers and Jake Courson each had two hits for the Panthers.

With the win the Bobcats moved their season record to 5-1.