Bobcats Fall To Cranberry In Twelve Inning Marathon (05/14/2018)

(By CSZ Sports Writer Kenn Staub)  The first time Clarion and Cranberry played this season, the Bobcats gave the Berries all they could handle and more at County Park, taking a ten-run, five inning decision. Based on that contest, one would be tempted to assume something similar occurring in the rematch. The two teams would prove that assumption incorrect, however, when they squared off in Seneca on Tuesday, May 8. This time the game was a nail biter, with the outcome not determined until the bottom of the twelfth when the Berries eked a 3-2 decision over the Bobcats.

Cam Craig started for Clarion, pitching five scoreless innings and striking out two.

The pitching match-up was the same in both games, Cam Craig for Clarion versus Cranberry’s Trevor Gladin. Each hurler had strong outings, as Craig shut out the Berries through the first five innings and Gladin held the Bobcats scoreless through six.

Each team had their opportunities, they were just unable to capitalize upon them. Cranberry stranded a runner on third in the first inning and marooned a runner in scoring position during the fifth. Likewise, Clarion threatened in the first and fifth but came away empty handed.

Spencer Miller took over on the mound for Clarion in the sixth. The Bobcat reliever continued what Craig had started, holding the Berries scoreless through his four inning appearance. He did have to work out of jams, which included men reaching third in the sixth and seventh, but set Cranberry down in order during the eighth and ninth. In the eighth he was helped by Sterling Conner, who started a nifty double play from center field, and in the ninth Miller struck out two and got the assist on the final play of the inning.

Adam Smerkar relieved Gladin in the seventh for Cranberry, managing to hold Clarion scoreless through the ninth despite some miscues in the field.

Spencer Miller slides into second. He doubled and singled.

Clarion came alive in the tenth when the top of the order came to the plate against Smerkar for the second time. Miller led off with a double, a shot which initially appeared like it might be gone but that hit the center field fence on the fly. Craig followed with a bunt single, advancing Miller to third and subsequently taking second himself owing to catcher indifference. Conner, batting after Craig, plated Miller on a ground out to the shortstop, making the score 1-0. Craig, who had reached third on Conner’s grounder, came around to score on a two out wild pitch, giving Clarion a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the frame.

Just as it appeared that the Bobcats had seized the momentum, the Berries took it right back in the home half of the inning. Conner, called on to pitch in relief of Miller for the Bobcats, issued a one out walk to Brandon Forest. Shay Harry, batting behind Forest, hit a grounder to the first baseman, who threw to second in an attempt to get the lead runner. Forest, sliding into second, triggered a miscue which resulted in the ball being mishandled, allowing him to reach third and Harry to get first. A Gladin infield single scored Forest and moved Harry to second. Harry scooted to third on a pitch in the dirt and took home when the Clarion catcher overthrew the bag trying to get the runner. With the score tied 2-2 and Gladin on third, Conner took matters into his own hands, striking out the next two Cranberry batters to keep the game going.

Smerkar set Clarion down in order in the top of the eleventh, with Conner returning the favor for the Bobcats in the bottom of the frame.

Cranberry manager Patrick Irwin made a pitching change to start the twelfth, sending Forest to the mound. Forest did his job, holding the lead for the Berries and setting the stage for the decisive half inning of the game.

Smerkar led off by reaching first on an infield error. He took second on a passed ball and advanced to third on a Forest single to right. Harry followed with the game winning hit, a bounding ball into right field that ended the game in Cranberry’s favor a little over three hours after the first pitch.

Nate Datko at first. He singled and drove in one of the Clarion’s two runs.

Miller and Craig had multi-hit games for the Bobcats, each delivering a double and single. Craig was credited with an RBI. Cutter Boggess and Nate Datko collected Clarion’s other two hits, both singles. Conner and Datko each plated runs.

Gladin had four hits for the Berries, three singles and a double. Forest and Shay had two singles apiece, with Smerkar and Hunter O’Neil each stroking one. Gladin and Shay collected a RBI.

Conner took the loss for Clarion despite not giving up an earned run in his two inning appearance. Craig, Miller, and Conner all punched out two.

Cranberry’s Forest got credit for the win, throwing only eight pitches in his twelfth inning appearance. Gladin struck out eight in his six innings of work and Smerkar four in five innings.

(photographs by Christie Datko)