Bucktail Softball Dominant Over Sugar Valley
By Tom Elling
BOONEVILLE – Less than a week ago, Bucktail visited The Sugar Valley Rural Charter School’s softball field. The Lady Bucks put on a hitting show and won by the 15-run rule in three innings, 22-4, on a warm, sunny day.
While the Lady Bucks had a lot of festivities planned for today expecting a home game with the Lady Phoenix, Mother Nature intervened and rendered the original plans null and void. So once again, the Lady Bucks boarded the yellow school bus and took the road more traveled to Booneville. Evidently, they think of the Valley’s field as their second home.
It was deja vu as Mike Poorman’s team once again dominated from the get-go.
After recovering from walking the first two batters, Eva Sockman settled down by forcing an infield out and striking out two. Bucktail sent eight batters to the plate and had scored seven runs before the first out was recorded. Lola English got it started with a lead-off ringing double to left. She had a more than productive day at the plate, going four-for-four with two doubles and a three-run blast over the left field fence. She collected three of those hits in the first inning. Oh, she also batted in six runs and scored two herself.
But there were plenty of other Bucks with multiple hits. Mak Wagner went two-for-three with two dingers—one a three-run drive to right-center, the other a solo shot to lead off the second inning. Winning pitcher Eva Sockman had a three-for-three day with two doubles. Her first two-bagger cleared the bases. Matti Mason also had a perfect three trips to the plate. She clubbed a two-run shot to dead center. She also contributed a stolen base. Kendall Wagner had an RBI double. Alexis Lowery had two singles, and Angel Kmetz had a single past third to give all nine batting spots at least one safety.
The Renovo team scored 21 runs in two innings on 18 hits (nine of them for extra bases) to earn another three-inning 15-run rule win.
Head coach Poorman said he was ‘Happy’ with the win after the brutal past week’s schedule. “I liked the way we attacked and hit the ball today, and although she was reluctant, our pitcher (Sockman) had three strikeouts in her two innings.
Three-sport star Kendall Wagner ‘talked’ her head coach into her first mound appearance. While it was not the result she had hoped for, it did give her some experience. The right-hander walked five and gave up four runs.
“We get back in action tomorrow against a very good Montgomery team at their field,” Poorman offered.
It doesn’t get any easier for SV as they head to conference leader Muncy on Wednesday.
The victory upped the Lady Bucks’ record to 11-3. The Phoenix slipped to 3-11.
