Sugar Valley falls at Neumann 12-2, eyeing trip to Bucktail on Friday

By Bees O’Brien

WILLIAMSPORT- Logue Field in Williamsport failed to provide a friendly surrounding for visiting Sugar Valley on Wednesday afternoon. The Phoenix, fresh off of an opening loss at Montgomery were looking to strike an upset in Mid Penn Conference play against the St. John Neumann Golden Knights.

The Phoenix would strike first in the top of the first inning by plating a run. Briar Martin’s triple off of Kane Meixel led to a Brody Swanger RBI ground out to give the visitors the 1-0 lead.

The Golden Knights managed to tie things up at 1-1 in their half of the first, but Sugar Valley responded. Layden Bryan walked and eventually scored on a Conoway ground out to give the Phoenix a 2-1 lead.

Thing quickly came unglued for the Phoenix.  A 3-run third inning from the Golden Knights was followed by a big 4-run fourth inning to give the host Knights an 8-2 lead. A pair of runs in each of the next two innings from St. John Neumann enforced the 10-run mercy rule, ending the game at 12-2.

Martin and Dakota Judon led the Phoenix on offense with two hits each. Andrew Walter led St. John Neumann with 3 hits.

Neumann improved to 2-1 on the season and 1-0 in the Mid Penn Conference. Sugar Valley dropped to 0-2 on the season and within the MPC. The Phoenix will next be in action on Friday in Farwell to take on a Bucktail (0-1, 0-1) team that they defeated twice last season.