After handling starting duties through all of last season, Ditty has split that work with freshman Kelsie Wagner in her second season with the Bucks while occasionally stepping in as a reliever. The difference between starting and relief work is night and day, and the setup has seen its growing pains at times.

“In ways, it has been, especially when I come in as relief,” said Ditty when asked if that adjustment has been difficult. “That’s not something I’m used to, and it’s hard to go from warming up and stepping on the mound to playing a different position before stepping on.”

“My shoulder feels cool, so that is hard to adjust to. But I don’t let it bother me,” she continued.

That latter claim held true in Monday’s win.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bucktail’s Carrie Ditty, left, high-fives teammate Kendall Wagner (33) during an earlier game against Sugar Valley.

The nerves were there as she took the mound in the third inning amidst a tight, state-tournament contest at Greenwood. But those nerves didn’t reflect on her play, as she played a crucial role in the Bucks coming away with a historic, 3-2 victory against the Vikings.

Through five innings, Ditty struck out eight while allowing just three hits and one unearned run in the fifth. Not only did she garner the win and save to help Bucktail reach its first PIAA Class A quarterfinal in program history, she also surpassed 200 career strikeouts, adding to the meaning of the performance.

“I think I just did what I had to do,” said Ditty. “I’ve wanted (200 strikeouts) so bad since last year, but it wasn’t something I was thinking about. I didn’t want to keep count because I knew if I did, it would put in a rough mental spot where I felt too pressured.”

“I didn’t know that I reached it until my mom started yelling like a crazy person over there,” she laughed.

On top of avoiding thoughts surrounding the milestone, the pressure surrounding the overall, high-stakes contest never dwindled. Greenwood held Bucktail’s potent offensive attack back, and the Bucks never operated with more than a one-run cushion as a result.

Coupled with consistent situational pressure, the sophomore had to lock in from her first pitch to the last out. To combat the nerves, she chose to treat the battle like it was any other game, having fun while trusting her best pitches and veteran field.

In the third inning, Ditty stepped in with two runners on and no outs.

Catcher Eva Sockman picked up the first out on a pick-off at third. And though the sophomore pitched three straight balls against her first batter, she finished the at-bat strong, forcing a foul ball before catching Greenwood cleanup hitter Nicole Herr swinging for her first K. Three pitches later, a popup to Kendall Wagner closed the frame.

She’d go on to secure her second and third strikeouts in the fourth as the Bucks retired the side in three. A fourth coupled with a great double play from Kelsie Wagner closed out a dicey fifth where the Wildcats tied it at 2-2. Then, a fifth coupled with two force outs from Lola English helped strand a runner in scoring position in the sixth.

With Kelsie Wagner scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth and Greenwood’s lineup resetting in the seventh, the stage was set for Ditty’s most pressure-filled frame. Three outs separated the Bucks from a quarterfinal bid, but one run would spell extras, and two would spell doom.

But despite the pressure, that’s where the sophomore logged her best frame of the night. Her fast ball and change-up had been on point throughout the contest, and that reality reached its pinnacle in the seventh.

To start, Ditty struck out Greenwood’s No. 9 batter swinging with just one ball on the board. The reset posed tougher battles. But though Kylie Willow and Sammi Cuccio each took the plate having posted a hit, the Buck held firm.

She caught Willow swinging on a full count. Then, after Cuccio made contact on three pitches, she caught the Wildcat swinging to seal the deal.

“There were points where I had more balls in my count and I was like, ‘Okay, I can’t do that.’ So, I did stress myself out in some of those moments,” said Ditty. “But I just knew that I had to focus on each single pitch, not the count.”

With that frame, Ditty secured Bucktail’s best pitching outing of the postseason.

District battles against Sullivan and Montgomery posed question marks, with the Bucks surrendering 15 combined runs in those outings. But on Monday, those issues were a non-factor, an aspect of the game manager Mike Poorman was especially proud of.

“For the most part, our pitching has been good, but it’s been inconsistent throughout the year,” said Poorman. “We gave (Greenwood) runners in scoring position and stuff like that, but ultimately, to finish things off in that way with your pitcher coming through with three strikeouts, it’s huge.”

With Tri-Valley coming into Thursday’s matchup having scored seven or more runs in its last 11 contests, Bucktail picked a great time to get its pitching ups and downs in order. If that success continues, and the offense re-establishes its earlier success, who knows how far the Bucks can climb?