Bobcats Win Their First Ever District Nine Class-1A Baseball Championship

on 30 May, 2023 at 22:59

All photos by Nate Girvan – Above: 2023 District Nine Class-1A Baseball Champion Clarion Bobcats!!

The Clarion Area Bobcats won their first ever District Nine Class-1A Baseball Championship on Monday (May 29th – Memorial Day), as they downed the DuBois Central Catholic Cardinals 6-3, in the championship game at Showers Field in DuBois.

The Bobcats scored first, with a run in the top of the third. Dawson Smail and Bryce Brinkley each singled. They moved up on a wild pitch and Smail scored on a sacrifice fly by Noah Harrison.

The Cardinals scored three runs, with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, to take a 3-1 lead.

Matt Alston came in for the final out and went the rest of the way.

**Matt Alston was masterful in relief, to pick up the win.**

Neither team scored in the fifth or sixth innings.

The Bobcats came to bat in the top of the seventh, with the district championship at on the line.

With one out, Dauntae Girvan doubled to right center. Courtesy runner Wyatt Watterson came in. Hayden Weber drew a walk. Then Dawson Smail doubled off the top of the wall, in centerfield, scoring Watterson and Weber, to tie the score at 3-all.

Brinkley followed that with a triple to right, that plated Smail, with what proved to be the winning run.

Cats added two insurance runs.

After a pitching change for the Cards, Noah Harrison drew a walk, giving Clarion runners at first and third. Dawson Smail grounded out, scoring Brinkley and moving Harrison to second. Devon Lauer walked and runners were on first and second.

**Just a portion of the Clarion fans during post game festivities**

Tanner Miller walked, after another pitching change took place in the middle of the at-bat, to load the bases. Alston followed that by drawing a walk, to score Harrison for the final run.

Alston made short work of the Cardinals in the bottom of the inning, popup to Lauer at second, popup behind the plate, which Alston handled himself and a soft liner just foul that first baseman Derek Smail handled to seal the deal.

Some Bobcat stats:

Dawson Smail – 2-for-4 (including a double), 2 RBI, 2 Runs scored; Dauntae Girvan – 2-for-4 (including a double); Bryce Brinkley – 2-for-4 (including a triple); Noah Harrison – 1-for-2, 1 RBI; Hayden Weber – 1 Run scored; Matt Alston – 1 RBI; Derek Smail – 1 RBI.

Matt Alston (Winning Pitcher) – gave up just 1 hit, struck out 1 and issued 1 walk.

The Bobcats will now face the District Six runner up, on Monday (June 5th).

(CONGRATULATIONS BOBCATS!!!! Thanks to Chris Rossetti and YDL/D9and10Sports.com for permission to use info gathered from their broadcast and to Nate Girvan for his pics!!)