KEVIN RAUCH/Special to the Sun-Gazette Bucktail second basemen Cael Dorman goes full extension to take in a high throw, as Sullivan County's Tucker Blasi steps safely onto second base during a baseball game at Bucktail on Wednesday. The Bucks fell 23-9 in four innings.

The 1-9 Sullivan County Griffins came into Farwell on Wednesday knowing that they would be in a game with the 2-8 Bucks. Both teams viewed the games as winnable and had hopes that it would be competitive.

However, it was the Griffins’ 16 unearned runs that had the visitors claiming a 23-9 win in a fourth inning that Bucktail will certainly look to forget.

The Griffins jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead that included a top of the first that had freshman Bucktail pitcher Angelo Tarantella throw 24 pitches. Coach Case Friese had the ninth grader on a 75-pitch limit.

Bucktail’s Tyler Hillyer, who had a solid game all the way around, answered in the bottom of the first with a lead-off single before stealing second and third. Griffin pitcher Tucker Blasi would leave Hillyer stranded 90 feet from home as he retired the next three batters, including a pair of strike outs.

Despite Sullivan County going up 4-0 after scoring another run in the top of the second, Bucktail momentarily took momentum of the game.

With two outs, Madden Fries smoked a line drive up the middle when a streaking Tyler Hillyer did a full extension dive, in what could be the defensive gem of the season for Bucktail. With a cloud of dust hovering over Hillyer, he jumped to his feet having snared the would-be hit and fired a strike to first for the third out of the inning. 

Down 4-0, Bucktail suddenly felt the scales tilting in its direction. The Bucks had runners on second and third in the bottom the second for Luca DeMarte, who has emerged as one of the team’s most clutch hitters. 

DeMarte hit a dribbler in the infield as Teagan Stone began sprinting from second base. The Griffins got DeMarte out at first, but the sacrifice cut the lead in half to 4-2.

The Griffins, however, not only reclaimed control with two more runs in the third but were about to put the game into exhibition mode with a 17-run top of the fourth. Tarantella was chased from the mound after maxing his pitch count and although he did give up 11 hits, only four of Sullivan County’s 13 runs were earned.

The Bucks are now 2-9 will host CMVT (1-10) on Friday as they celebrate Senior Night. Sullivan County will be back on the road Friday when they head to Neumann Regional Academy.

Sullivan 23, Bucktail 9

(4 INNINGS)

Sullivan 312 17 – 23 15 1

Bucktail 020 7 – 9 10 8 

Top Bucktail hitters: Tyler Hillyer 3-4, run; Thomas Tarantella 1-1; Cael Dorman 1-4; Thomas Craft 1-1, run, RBI; Sam Mansfeld 1-2, run, 2 RBIs; Austin Mosher run; Levi Stevenson 2-2, 2 runs; Otis Emerick 2-2, run, 2 RBIs; Angelo Tarantella 1-3, run, RBI; Branson Getz 0-1; Gavin Pick 0-2; Teagan Stone 1-2; Luca DeMarte 0-2, 2 RBIs. Top Sullivan batters: Tucker Blasi 2-4, 2 3Bs, 3 RBIs, 4 runs; Garrett Burke 2-4, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Madden Fries 2-3, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Brett Smith 2-3, 3 runs; Carter Blasi 1-5, 2 RBIs, 2 runs.

Bucktail pitching: Angelo Tarantella 3.1 IP, 11 hits, 13 runs, 4 ER, BB, 3 K; Tyler Hillyer 1.1 IP, 0 hits, K; Teagan Stone 0.1 IP 5 hits, 10 runs, 3 ER, 5 BB.