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EL1 Altoona Curve

Underdog Clearfield wins 2008 Curve Classic Championship

April 27, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


ALTOONA- The underdog Clearfield Bisons capped an improbable run to the 2008 Dean Patterson Curve Classic championship with a thrilling 10-9 victory over Central High School in Sunday's title game at Blair County Ballpark. The Bisons entered the tournament with a 1-9 record, but swept past Hollidaysburg in the quarterfinals, Central Cambria in the semis and Central in the championship contest to become the first District 9 school to win the DPCC title in the event's six-year history.

Because of bad weather on Saturday, which forced the semifinals and finals to both be played on Sunday, the Bisons had to defeat Central Cambria, 2-1, in the morning to advance to the afternoon championship contest. Central upset Punxsutawney, 12-7, in the Sunday's second semifinal contest to set up the title matchup.

Clearfield used an eight-run bottom of the third to vault out to an early 8-1 lead, but the Scarlet Dragons scored six times in the top half of the fourth and one more in the fifth to even the score. In the bottom of the fifth, the Bisons grabbed the lead for good with a pair of runs, highlighted by an RBI single off the bat of eventual Curve Classic Most Valuable Player Tanner St. Clair. St. Clair finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI and went 4-for-11 with four RBI in three tournament games.

Central scored a run in the top of the seventh and final inning to move within one run at 10-9, and managed to put runners at second and third with two outs, but Clearfield's Parker Herrington struck out Jared Snowberger to seal the victory. In addition to St. Clair's 3-for-4, three-RBI effort, the Bisons were also helped by a 3-for-4, two-RBI performance by freshman infielder Derek Danver.

Clearfield becomes just the fourth different champion in DPCC history, joining Altoona (2003, '06-07), Hollidaysburg (2005) and Huntingdon (2004).

Following the game, the Clearfield Area High School Athletic Department was presented with a $1,200 check as part of the Dean Patterson Curve Classic Scholarship Fund. Donations in the amount of $600 were collected throughout the nine games of the tournament and tournament sponsor Dean Patterson generously matched that amount.

Blair County Ballpark will continue to be an important venue for high school baseball throughout the spring and summer months. On May 28 and 29, the ballpark will play host to all four PIAA District 6 championship games. Then, the best teams from across the state will converge on BCB for the PIAA State Championships on Friday, June 13. The ballpark will also host the first annual S&T Bank Altoona Curve High School All-Star Classic on Sunday, June 22.

2008 DEAN PATTERSON CURVE CLASSIC FINAL RESULTS

Quarterfinals (Friday, April 25) Central Cambria 11, Bishop Carroll 0 (5 Innings) Clearfield 6, Hollidaysburg 3 Central 14, Bishop Walsh 13 Punxsutawney 5, Altoona 0

Consolation Games (Saturday, April 26) Bishop Carroll 13, Hollidaysburg 9 Altoona 8, Bishop Walsh 3

Semifinals (Sunday, April 27) Clearfield 2, Central Cambria 1 Central 12, Punxsutawney 7

Championship Game (Sunday, April 27) Clearfield 10, Central 9

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