FARWELL, Pa. – Angelo Tarantella, the smallest Bucktail Buck, had the biggest hit of his young high school baseball career on Thursday, stroking a walk-off single to right field, driving in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 10-9 win over visiting Muncy.
Tarantella, just a freshman, was a starting wrestler this past winter at 114 pounds but size was not a factor Thursday as he came up huge: a 4-for-4 showing at the plate with a double, three singles (including the game-winner), a walk and two RBIs. He also pitched a gritty 5.1 innings, giving up six runs, five earned, while allowing seven hits, striking out three and walking three.
The victory was a remarkable turn-around against the favored Indians. Muncy, 9-5 heading to Farwell, had thrashed the Bucks by a 17-2 score in their first meeting in April, but Bucktail returned the favor and then some Thursday.
The game was back-and-forth throughout, the Bucks with an early lead but Muncy came back with a seventh inning run to tie things up at 9-9 to set the stage for the home team’s walk-off.
After Buck reliever Gavin Pick tossed a scoreless top of the eighth, Travis Hillyer led off the bottom of the inning, drawing a walk and stealing second. A moment later Tarantella drove a line drive single to right, scoring Hillyer and giving the Bucks their biggest win of the season.
Bucktail pounded out 13 hits, led by Tarantella’s 4-hit day. Pick was next, going 3-for-5 with a double. Cael Dorman and Teagen Stone each had two singles; Tom Tarantella had a double and Levi Stevenson a single.
Pick picked up the win in relief, going 2.2 innings and giving up three runs, one of them earned. He struck out two and walked two.
With the win the Bucks moved to 4-12 on the year, Muncy dropping to 9-6. Bucktail will next be in action Friday at 2:30 p.m. against Sugar Valley (6-8) on the Phoenix’s home field at Taggart Park in Lock Haven. The Buck – Phoenix game will be streamed on Clinton County Sports
M 0 0 3 0 2 3 1 0 = 9-10-0
B 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 1 = 10-13-2
