It was her surging team producing more highlights which tied everything together and made Saturday really special.

Sockman went 4 for 4, Carrie Ditty threw an impressive seven-hitter and Kendall Wagner added two hits as Bucktail defeated top-seeded Montgomery, 4-2 in the District 4 Class A semifinals. A year after graduating so many starters, the Bucks (11-7) have a shot at winning a third straight district championship, reaching both the final and the state tournament, while avenging two regular season losses against Montgomery.

Bucktail will play Northeast Bradford, a 4-1 winner against Sullivan County, in Tuesday’s final back at Elm Park.

“It’s really awesome,” Sockman said. “At the beginning of the year we did start very slow. We lost a lot of good players and pieces, but these underclassmen have really stepped up and earned their spots. That’s why we’re here.”

Ava Hartman of Montgomery delivers a pitch to Bucktail at Elm Park during the 7th inning. Bucktail won 4-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“It is special. I knew we had a team that could do it but there were some growing pains,” Bucktail coach Mike Poorman said after leading his team to states for a fourth time in six seasons. “It’s been extremely fun, and I’m extremely blessed and proud of the team.”

Sockman has helped Bucktail win championships the previous two seasons and has been key to helping it rally from a 4-6 start to win seven of its last seven games. Only a junior, the third baseman joined the 100 RBI club in Bucktail’s final regular season game and entered Saturday two hits shy of reaching 100.

Sockman singled in her first at-bat, then wasted little time producing her 100th hit, ripping a two-out third inning single. That hit was part of a go-ahead two run rally and Sockman added hits Nos. 101 and 102 in her final two at-bats. More important, both those hits were again part of rallies as Bucktail moved ahead, 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh.

“I feel very honored and very excited to get my 100th hit, especially in a game like this. I definitely wanted to get it in a good moment,” Sockman said. “I always go up to the plate wanting to hit the ball and I think that makes a difference.”

Montgomery catcher Addi Muhl made a different all afternoon, going 3 for 4 and driving in both her team’s runs. Muhl hit a first-inning RBI single which had Montgomery (14-4) ahead, 1-0 before lacing a seventh inning RBI single that cut the deficit to 4-2 and brought the tying run to the plate.

Carrie Ditty of Bucktail pitches to Montgomery during the 7th inning at Elm Park. Bucktail won 4-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Muhl was part of a small but strong senior class who were freshmen when Montgomery captured the 2022 state championship. Delilah Preitz and Addi Cross also enjoyed quality high school careers and the hard part for coach Chris Glenn is not so much that Montgomery lost, but that those players will not be around anymore.

“I’ve had these girls ever since seventh grade and Addi Muhl is a great kid, and they all are. I’m going miss them all,” Glenn said. It always happens but it’s never easy to say good-bye to the seniors.”

Montgomery, however, does have a strong foundation in place and enjoyed an excellent season, improving on its win total for a second straight year and capturing a Mid-Penn West Division championship. Ava Hartman threw well and struck out nine, but Bucktail took advantage of its third opportunity against the Red Raiders and denied them their first finals appearance since 2022.

Montgomery’s goal now is to turn that negative into a positive. With most of the starters returning and some promising eighth graders on the way, the future looks bright.

“We have some great kids coming into the program and I think we’ll be on the upswing,” Glenn said. “We have some stuff to work on, and we will, and we’ll get better. I guarantee we’ll get better. I’m already looking forward to next year. We’ll get going again soon and get ready to give it all we got.”

Matti Mason and Lola English of Bucktail celebrate their win over Montgomery at Elm Park. Bucktail won 4-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Bucktail has embraced a similar mentality and made massive strides throughout the season. Montgomery pounded it 17-7 in Renovo early this season, but the Bucks took a lead into the seventh inning in the rematch before dropping a 3-2 heartbreaker. In defeat, Bucktail saw positives, knowing that it was closing the gap.

Saturday, Bucktail continued what it had started at Montgomery and took a 2-1 lead in the third inning that it never relinquished. Makenna Stone and Lola English singled and an error brought home a run before Kendall Wagner hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Angel Kmetz hit a clutch two-out RBI single in the fifth to score Sockman and Stone stole two bases before coming home on English’s grounder to make it, 4-1.

“The second time against them, we gained more confidence, and we came into this game knowing we had nothing to lose,” Sockman said. “We just came out and played like we can.”

Ditty has mirrored her team’s growth all year and the freshman continues blossoming. Ditty struck out six and was at her best in big moments. At one point, she retired nine straight batters with runners in scoring position, never letting Montgomery get into any kind of flow.

Three of Montgomery’s hits came in the first inning. Backed by a strong defense which consistently made nice plays, Ditty settled in grew better as the game progressed. She clinched the victory, inducing a flyout to right fielder Riley Salizzoni as Bucktail continued building on its stellar eight-season run.

Makenna Stone (7) of Bucktail scores during the 7th inning against Montgomery at Elm Park. Bucktail won 4-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“I can’t ask for anything else from my freshman pitcher. We told Carrie to let the defense work, and we’ll get better and better. She’s done a good job of that,” Poorman said. “When she’s on and getting her hips into pitches, she’s been throwing the ball really well. As a freshman, this is a growing experience for her.”

Bucktail    002 001 1―4 9 1

Montgomery  100 000 1―2 7 2

Carrie Ditty and Matti Mason. Ava Hartman, Jenna Houseknecht (7) and Addi Muhl. W―Ditty. L―Hartman.

Top Bucktail hitters: Eva Sockman 4-4, R; Kendall Wagner 2-3, RBI; Makenna Stone 1-2, 3 SB, 2R; Angel Kmetz 1-3, RBI; Lola English 1-4, RBI, R. Top Montgomery hitters: Muhl 3-4, 2 RBIs; Houseknecht 1-3, BB, R; Chloe Gordner 1-3, 2B; Madisyn Miller 1-3, BB; Zoe Furman 1-3, 2B.

Records: Bucktail 11-7. Montgomery 14-4.