After trailing for most of the contest, the Eagles battled back get the come-from-behind 7-6 victory.

“We’ve had some close games this year. We had some close games last year, it builds character,” said Bald Eagle Area’s coach Ryan McNamara.

“That’s what we want to do. When we have five errors tonight that puts ourselves in a hole,” McNamara continued. “So, being able to come back, execute, and being able to get out of here with a win, you know, it’s not pretty, but we want to keep stacking wins.”

In the first inning the Bison were able to take the lead early on. Pitcher and lead off hitter Jayce Brothers walked to officially start the game. Brayson Patrick slapped a single to right field, advancing Brothers to third. Patrick moved up to second on the through to third.

TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Bald Eagle Area competes against Clearfield on Thursday. The Eagles rallied to win 8-7.

Rex Butler brought in Brothers as he also posted a single into shallow right field.

With runners on first and third, Butler stole second, putting both runners in scoring position. Hayden Rumsky bounced into an RBI fielders choice to first, upping the lead to a 2-0 advantage.

Patrick scored the last Clearfield run of the inning via a single by Colton Bumbarger, ending the Bison half an inning with a 3-0 advantage. Bald Eagle was only able to pick up a lone single by Kaleb Irion and trailed by three when the two went into the second.

Things slowed down for Clearfield in the second as Bald Eagle was able to send the Bison down 1-2-3. The Eagles went down in order as well in the second. Butler started off the top of the third with Butler posting his second hit of the day.

He was left stranded as the Eagles defense once again shined.

TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Bald Eagle Area competes against Clearfield on Thursday. The Eagles rallied to win 8-7.

Riley Bucha notched his team’s second hit. He led off with a bouncer into fight. Isaac Johnson followed with a walk. Both moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Grayson White. Hosband helped his own cause as he hustled out a single. The throw to first was overthrown allowing Bucha and Johnson to score.

When the dust settled in the third the Eagles cut the lead to 3-2.

Clearfield tried to add back more to their lead. Connor Peacock reached on a miscue by the Eagles. Teammate Landon Brady walked.. The Bison loaded the bases on an a second error by the Eagles. Peacock , Brady and Brothers would score to up the Clearfield lead to 6-2.

Back battled the Eagles in the inning. Takoda Ripka smashed a shot down the third baseline line. His stay was short as he was forced out on a fielders choice by Kaden Clark.

Hayden Steiner blasted a towering double into center. Both scored on an RBI single by Bucha. The Eagles were back within striking distance going into the fifth trailing 6-4.

TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Bald Eagle Area competes against Clearfield on Thursday. The Eagles rallied to win 8-7.

Defense took center stage in the fifth as the Eagles ended a possible scoring run with a double play. Hosband led off the fifth with a walk. Irion tied the game as he hit a smoker over the left field fence, scoring himself and Hosband.

Runkle followed with a single and then Ripka walked to keep the inning alive. Jaden Clark moved both up a base with a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Steiner loaded the bases as he was hit by a pitch.

Bald Eagle took the lead as Runkle scored on a fielders choice RBI by Bucha.

Johnson took one for the team as he was hit by a Clearfield offering to reload the bases with two out.

However, the Bison were able to get out of the inning trailing 7-6.

TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Bald Eagle Area competes against Clearfield on Thursday. The Eagles rallied to win 8-7.

The Eagles were able to dust off a potential Bison threat in the sixth when reliever Grayson White, who came in for Hosband, struck out Hayden Rumsky to strand runners on second and third.

In the seventh, the Eagles were able to hold the Clearfield offense at bay to complete the comeback win.

Bald Eagle Area 7, Clearfield 6

Clearfield 300 300 0 – 6 8 2

Bald Eagle Area 002 230 x – 7 7 5

TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Bald Eagle Area competes against Clearfield on Thursday. The Eagles rallied to win 8-7.

W: Grayson White. L: Jayce Brothers

Top Clearfield hitters: Rex Butler 2-4, run; Brayson Patrick 2-4, 2 RBIs, run. Top Bald Eagle Area hitters: Riley Bucha 2-2, 2 RBIs, run; Kaleb Irion 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs, run.

TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Bald Eagle Area competes against Clearfield on Thursday. The Eagles rallied to win 8-7.