Clarion 11-12 All-Stars Down East Butler 12-2 To Open District 25 Tournament (06/30/14)

(By Kenn Staub)

The Clarion 11-12 Year Old Little League All-Stars began their pursuit of the 2014 Pennsylvania District 25 Championship with a victory over a squad from East Butler this past Friday night (06/27/2014). Playing in front of a hometown crowd at Paul A. Weaver Park the Clarion team tallied ten hits to East Butler’s one and never trailed enroute to a 12-2 five inning “mercy rule” win.

(Photos by Christie Datko) Curvin Goheen belt a double!

Skylar Rhoades started the game on the hill for Clarion and struck out the East Butler side in the top of the first. Rhoades then led off the bottom of the frame for the boys in red, white, and blue by drawing a walk and advancing to third when the second hitter, Curvin Goheen, doubled to left field. In a play that typified Clarion’s hustling style on the bases, Rhoades scored on a passed ball to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

Rhoades continued his dominance on the mound in the top of the second, fanning the first two batters he faced and holding East Butler scoreless. Clarion capitalized on Rhoades pitching performance by scoring three runs in the home half of the second. Nate Datko, batting second, reached first on a fielder’s choice and went to second when Nick Frederick followed with a single. Datko moved to third when Lake Staub put the ball in play on the right side, though Frederick got thrown out going to second. Rhoades drove in Datko with a two out single to left field, a play which also included an error that enabled him to gain second and Staub third. With Staub and Rhoades in scoring position, Goheen singled to center field, plating both to give Clarion a 4-0 lead.

(Photo by Christie Datko)
Nate Datko headed to third!

East Butler got on the board in the third with a two run homer to right field. Trailing 4-2, the away team proceeded to draw a two out walk and had a runner on first when their sixth batter of the inning hit an apparent home run to tie the score. Clarion manager, Garrett Goheen, closely watching the East Butler players circle the bases, grew suspicious that the lead runner had not touched home plate. Manager Goheen’s suspicions were confirmed, when, on an appeal play at the plate, the umpire called the lead runner out for failing to touch home. This then became the third out of the inning, nullifying the East Butler home run and allowing Clarion to preserve a 4-2 lead.

Having dodged a bullet, the Clarion offense tallied five runs in the bottom of the third to grab a 9-2 lead. With one out, Cal German and Datko both reached base on consecutive East Butler errors. Frederick then singled to load the bases for Staub, who drove both German and Datko home with a single to center field. Rhoades followed Staub with a monstrous three run homer to left. After Rhoades’s blast Clarion managed to put runners on first and second with two outs, but was unable to extend their lead.

German, pitching in relief of Rhoades, held East Butler scoreless in the top of the fourth, striking out two of the four batters he faced. Clarion added insurance runs in the bottom of the inning. Ben Smith led off with a walk and was replaced at first by pinch runner Cole Slaugnehoup. German, batting after Smith, advanced Slaugenhoup to second with a single and Datko loaded the bases by drawing a walk. With one out and bases loaded, Staub walked to push Slaugenhoup across the plate. German proceeded to score from third on a Rhoades fielder’s choice to the left side, giving Clarion an 11-2 advantage.

(Photo by Christie Datko)
Skylar Rhoades getting congrats from the team as he comes
after blasting a homerun!

After holding East Butler scoreless in the fifth, Clarion clinched the game in the home half of the inning. Hayden Callen walked to lead off the frame and advanced to second on a passed ball, reaching home to give Clarion a 12-2 lead and invoking the “mercy rule” when German singled to center field.

Goheen (single, double), German (two singles), Rhoades (single, home run), and Frederick (two singles) all had two hits apiece for Clarion. Callen and Staub both chipped in with singles. Rhoades was credited with five RBI, Staub three, Goheen two, and German one.

Rhoades and German combined to one-hit East Butler. Rhoades, Clarion’s starter, struck out six. German came on in relief and fanned three.

(Thanks to Coach Staub for this article. Keep up the good work All-Stars!!!!)