Both teams had clutch hits, fielding and plays at the plate with Bucktail coming from behind twice to secure the win.

“It took us a little longer than I wanted it to but we finally got things moving as the game went on” said Bucktail coach Casey Friese. “Starting with the bats, we really juggled the line-up today because coming into this game we’ve left 27 runners on base, probably half of those in scoring positions. So we really shook it up and we’re trying to generate some more runs.”

“After the Muncy game was told out pitchers to throw strikes, we want these batters on in less than three pitches, three pitches or less to have the batters on or out,” continued Friese “We had a freshman battery in there today between Angelo Tarantella and (catcher) Levi Stevenson and I’m just amazed at what they were able to do.”

“We played solid game defensively and came out with a good win” Friese continued.

KEVIN RAUCH/For The Express Bucktail’s Gavin Pick lays the tag on Neumann’s Connor Haswell after taking a strong throw from catcher Levi Stevenson in Bucktail’s 7-4 win in Farwell.

The Knights received back-to-back hits from Kane Meixel and Lincoln Steel, as well as a sacrifice from Clark Bower as they went up 3-1 in the top of the third.

Levi Stevenson stole reached base in the bottom of the inning and proceeded to steal the next three bases, bringing the Bucks within a 3-2 score.

Neuman was threatening in the top of the fourth when they had a runner on third and no outs, but after Angelo struck out two batters, he then picked off the runner trying to steal home, keeping the score at 3-2.

Stevenson would pace the offense in the bottom of the fourth, picking up a two-out, two-RBI double. Angelo Tarantella capitalized off of an error by the visiting team which allowed the Bucks to push the score to 6-3.

In the top of the sixth the Knights were threatening as Bower stood on third with just one out. After Tarantella struck out the batter for the second out, Stevenson thought it was the third out of the inning and rolled the ball back to the mound, but quick thinking Tarantella, grabbed the ball, throwing a strike to Stevenson. He recovered on the play and tug out the streaking Bower to the applause of a home crowd of the excitement on the field.

The freshman connection between Stevenson and Tarantella would combine one more time in the bottom of the sixth when Tarantella knocked in Stevenson to move the lead 7-3.

After recording an out in the top of the seventh, Tarantella had to come out of the game to cheers from the fans and his teammates, setting up Gavin Pick to come on in relief. Neuman managed to get a run on the board, but Bucktail picked up the 7-4 win.

The win was the ninth grader Tarantella’s first from the mound as he picked up two hits and two RBIs from the plate. Catcher Stevenson also had a pair of hits, two RBIs and scored three runs.

Bucktail will look to move to .500 on the season when they host Sugar Valley on Saturday while Neumann will be at Muncy, also on Saturday morning.

Bucktail 7, St. John Neumann 4

Neumann 102 000 1 — 4 6 4

Bucktail 011 311 x — 7 7 1

W: Angelo Tarantella. L: Meixeil.

Top Neumann hitters: Kane Meixel 2-3, BB, 2 runs; Clark Bower 1-1, RBI, run; Avery Taddeo 1-3, RBI; M. Dunkleberger 1-2, RBI; Kaden White 1-3, run; Nahmir Thomas, RBI. Top Bucktail hitters: Stevenson 2-3, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Angelo Tarantella 2-4, 2 RBis; Thomas Tarantella 1-1; Luca DeMarte 1-4; Tyler Hillyer 1-2, 2 runs; Cael Dorman, RBI; Otis Emerick, run; Gavin Pick, BB, run.