Big Second Inning Propels Neumann Past Bucks, 17-2
By Bees O’Brien
FARWELL- St. John Neumann showed why they are off to a hot start in 2025 right out of the gate. The Golden Knights quickly established a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning against a Bucktail team that was coming off of their first win of the season on Friday.
Bucktail did put together a solid at bat in their half of the first inning. A lead off double from Keller Friese led to a 2 RBI single from Ethan Kalafut that scored Friese and Gavin Pick.
Up 3-2, St. John Neumann went on an offensive burst. The Golden Knights took advantage of 4 free passes and a pair of Buck errors to plate 7 runs in the top of the second inning to hold a 10-2 lead.
Bucktail’s offense didn’t get another base hit the entire game as Golden Knight hurlers Andrew Walter and Gino Birch silenced the Bucktail hitters and only allowed 2 walks in the final 4 innings and just 4 total free passes in the game. Walter fanned 5 Bucks in the process.
Neumann tacked on 7 runs in the game’s final three innings to force a 17-2 5-inning mercy rule win.
Bucktail had some positives in the contest. Austin Mosher, who came into pitch in relief for the Bucks struck out 3 Neumann batters and didn’t allow an earned run. The Golden Knights nearly added more runs to their total in the fifth inning, but Bucktail catcher Cael Dorman threw out a runner on an attempted steal at second base to thwart the rally and end the inning.
St. John Neumann improved to 4-1 on the season while Bucktail dropped to 1-2. The Bucks next will face Mid Penn Conference foes Montgomery (3-0, 2-0) on Wednesday in Farwell.
