Bucktail is 1-9 against Neumann Regional Academy since May of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Bucks will head out to take on the Golden Knights at 4:30 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Bucktail is headed into the match having just suffered their closest loss since April 19, 2024 on Tuesday. They fell just short of Sugar Valley Rural by a score of 6-4. The Bucks have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Keller Friese was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. On the mound, he struck out ten batters over six innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one triple and one run.
In other batting news, Cael Dorman was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That stolen base was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Tyler Hillyer, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one run.
Meanwhile, after a string of six wins, Neumann Regional Academy's good fortune finally ran out on Tuesday. They fell just short of Muncy by a score of 5-4.
Like Bucktail, Neumann Regional Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Angelo Birch. He struck out 11 batters over 5.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Birch was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two runs.
Birch wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Clark Bower, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Bucktail's record now sits at 2-9. As for Neumann Regional Academy, their record is now 10-3.
Bucktail might still be hurting after the 17-2 defeat they got from Neumann Regional Academy when the teams last played back in March. Can the Bucks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
