Lady Bucks cruise past Neumann 22-3, Muncy showdown Friday
By Bees O’Brien
WILLIAMSPORT- St. John Neumann entered their Mid Penn Conference contest against high-powered Bucktail with hopes of pulling a major upset against District IV 1A’s top ranked team. A win from the Lady Knights would have carried them a long way in their uphill battle to make the district’s 1A playoff field.
That hope was quickly dashed, but more by the Lady Knight’s own blunders rather than the powerful Lady Bucks batting. Neumann would allow 10 walks and 13 runs in the top of the first to Bucktail.
Neumann, who lost their season opener to Bucktail in Farwell 17-2 failed to get any sort of offense going the entire game. Bucktail pitchers Makenna Stone and Eva Sockman combined to allow just 4 hits on the day. The Lady Knights would score following three hit batters and a Bucktail error.
Up 13-1, Bucktail would continue their assault on St. John Neumann. A 6-run top of the second inning would grow the Lady Bucks’ lead to 19-1.
Neumann would have their best inning of the day in their half of the inning by scoring 2 runs, but Bucktail countered with three more of their own in the top of the third inning to set the 22-3 final.
Bucktail has now outscored their opponents 129-13 and are 9-0 with 8 of those wins coming by way of the mercy rule.
St. John Neumann fell to 4-7 and will need to finish strong to get to the .500 mark and qualify for the playoffs for the second straight season.
Alexis Lowery and Mak Wagner each collected three hits on the day. Lowery had a double and 4 runs batted in, while Wagner added 3 RBI’s. Lola English went 2 for 2 on the day with a double and 3 runs scored, as she remains one of the top hitters in the entire state. Matti Mason had a double and 3 runs batted in. Gigi Balchun, Riley SalizzoniKendall Wagner and Makenna Stone all collected singles for the Lady Bucks.
Now Nolah Moyer and the Muncy Indians stand in Bucktail’s way. Muncy is 9-0 and the winner of this game will be in the driver’s seat for the Mid Penn Conference championship. The game at Muncy is set to start at 4:30 Friday afternoon.
