“We just coudn’t get out of innings, it happened again and again,” said Bucktail manager Mike Poorman following the loss. “We’d get two outs, they’d get somebody on base, then follow it up with a base hit, they pretty much did every time we’d do something positive.”

“They were pretty solid top through bottom for sure at the plate,” he added on Tri-Valley.

As far as his own team, whose season comes to an end at 17-5 and claimed the schools first State Playoff win, Poorman was impressed with the effort.

“One of my goals was to to play hard and compete, I definitely wanted to play all seven innings, to hang in there and get to the finish is something I’m proud of,” the coach commented, referring to what could have been a ten run-rule in the bottom of the sixth.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bucktail players walk off the field after their 13-4 loss to Tri-Valley in the first round of the PIAA play offs at Central Columbia Thursday.

The Bucks’ defense left what would have been the winning run stranded on third base to end the inning, preventing mercy rule.

Bucktail’s most powerful moment from the game arrived before many even took their seats.

Leadoff batter Lola English took the opening pitch and sent a liner of a shot over the fence, causing an almost pandemonium level of frenzy to the Bucktail side of the field and inside of the dugout. It will stand as one of the highlights of the season for the Bucks, thrilling all in attendence.

Unfortunately for the Bucks, Tri-Valley starting pitcher Myah Schwarm shrugged it off, not allowing another Bucktail run until the fourth inning. With their pitcher setting in, Tri-Valley began to frustrate the Bucks with their uncanny two out performances.

“Schwarm from the mound threw hard, not necessarily overpowering, but she moved the ball well, spinning the ball, hitting the curveball, she didn’t give up any walks so that shows you the type of control she had” said the coach of opposing pitcher Myah Schwalm.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bucktail short stop Kendall Wagner (00) fields a ground ball before throwing to first base for an out in the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the first, Lydia Rodichok picked up a two-out, two-RBI single, giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead, a lead they would never give up.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, both Summer Cupsta-Klinger and Olivia Witmer picked up two-out RBI singles, followed by the same from Kenzie Tobin in the bottom of the 3rd.

Bucktail finally found a run again in the top of the fourth inning when Eva Sockman picked up a leadoff double and scored on an RBI single from Hayleigh Dent. This time, Witmer answered with a two-out home run of her own over the left field fence, putting her team up 6-2 after four innings.

Sockman made it 3-for-3 on her day from the plate when she capped off an RBI double in the top of the fifth, as, for a moment, the Bucks pulled it within 6-4.

From that point, however, the Bulldogs would hang seven unanswered runs on the board, sealing the 13-4 victory. Tri-Valley now moves to the PIAA Class A semifinals, as they will meet up with Holy Cross at a yet-to-be-decided location.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bucktail's Carrie Ditty (5) fields a pop-up for an out in the fourth inning.

Tri-Valley 13, Bucktail 4

Bucktail 100 120 0 – 4 7 5

Tri-Valley 221 134 X – 13 12 1

Bucktail batting: Lola English 1 for 4, run, RBI home-run; Makenna Stone 1 for 4, run; Eva Sockman 3 for 3, RBI; Hayleigh Dent 1 for 3, RBI; Angel Kmetz 1 for 3, run.

Bucktail pitching: Carrie Ditty (L) 5.0 IP, 9 hits, 8 runs, 6ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR; Kelcie Wagner 1 IP, 3 hits, 5 runs, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bucktail's Angel Kmetz (6) beats out the throw for a single as Tri-Valley first baseman Ava Snyder (35) waits for the throw in the fifth inning.

Tri-Valley Hitting: Summer Cupsta-Klinger 2 for 5, 2 runs, 3 RBI; Alina Leonard 0 for 3, run; Liv Wehry 1 for 1, 2 RBI; Olivia Witmer 2 for 4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, Home-Run; Myah Schwalm 1 for 4; Lydia Rodichok 1 for 3, 2 RBI; Savanah Stiely 1 for 2, 2 runs; Olivia Lupole 2 for 4, 2 runs, 3 RBI; Kenzie Tobin 2 for 3, run, RBI; Zoey Leese run, Ella Snyder 2 runs;

Tri-Valley Pitching: Schwam (W) 7 IP, 4 runs, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, home run.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bucktail's Angel Kmetz (6) slides under Tri-Valley short stop Alina Leonard (5) to steal second base in the fifth inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bucktail's Angel Kmetz (6) heads to home to score on a Makenna Stone (7) single which was overthrown for a double in the fifth inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bucktail's Angel Kmetz (6) slides under Tri-Valley short stop Alina Leonard (5) to steal second base in the fifth inning.