BETHLEHEM Pa. (EYT) – The Clarion 11-and-under Little League All-Star baseball team opened the state tournament with a rude greeting for the hosts from Lehigh with a 14-1 win in five innings.
The Clarion All-Stars led 4-1 after two innings before scoring five times each in the fourth and fifth innings to invoke the Mercy Rule.
The Clarion All-Stars collected 14 hits, led by a monster game from Tommy Smith, who was 3-for-4 with five runs batted in and two runs.
Smith nearly hit for the cycle, with a home run, triple and single.
Devon Lauer also had a big game for Clarion as he was also 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Lauer’s 2-run homer in the first gave Clarion a lead it never relinquished. Lauer also doubled.
Leadoff man Bryce Brinkley did an excellent job setting the table for his teammates as he was 2-for-3 with a walk and four runs scored.
Dawson Smail also hit a home run for Clarion. He was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Jase Ferguson added a run-scoring triple while Nick Aaron also had a run-scoring single.
Logan Lutz and Tanner Miller each had hits for Clarion.
On the mound, Brayden Murray worked 4 1/3 innings of two-hit ball. Murray needed just 49 pitches, and he struck out four and walked just one. Murray’s only run allowed was unearned.
Smith worked the final 2/3 innings with a strikeout.
Clarion will play at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday against the winner of the game between Section 3 and Section 8.
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