STAC BASEBALL: WAVERLY RALLIES FROM EARLY DEFICITS; POUNDS OUT 20-9 WIN OVER SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT (24 PHOTOS) (2024-04-13)

Valley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Waverly poured 10 runs across the plate in the bottom of the third inning to overcome a a pair of early deficits en route to a 20-9 win over South Williamsport in non-league baseball action.

South Williamsport scored four runs in the top of the first inning, but the Wolverines answered with four runs in the home half of the frame.

“We fell behind 4-0 in the first inning 4-0, that’s our biggest deficit this season,” said longtime Waverly coach Kyle McDuffee. “Our team rallied around … the offense turned on, and didn’t stop.

“And, we continue to run the bases smart and solid,” he added.

With one out in the bottom of the first, senior Ethan Perry ripped a double to left field, and moved to third when senior Joey Tomasso reached on an error.

Freshman Matthias Welles put Waverly on the board with an RBI single, then came around to score with Tomasso on a Mountie error to trim the deficit to 4-3.

Senior Sean Bubniak capped the rally with an RBI single to tie the game at 4-4.

The Wolverines took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a two-out RBI double by Welles to score Tomasso, who reached on a two-out single, but South Williamsport answered with four runs i the top of the third to take an 8-5 lead.

Senior Jake VanHouten walked to lead off the bottom of the third, and was on third base moments later after a double by Bubniak.

Eighth-grader Jack Pipher knocked in the first run of the inning with an RBI groundout to close the gap to 8-6. After a walk to freshman Ben Shaw, sophomore Hogan Shaw stroked a two-RBI single to tie the game at 8-8, and senior Jay Pipher followed with a hard-hit RBI single to right field to give the Wolverines the lead for good, at 9-8.

After an intentional walk to Perry, Tomasso worked a walk to load the bases, and Welles followed with a two-run single to make it 11-8.

Bubniak and Jack Pipher added RBI singles later in the inning, and Hogan Shaw drew a bases-loaded walk to force home a run to make it 14-8. The final run of the rally scored on a wild pitch.

The Wolverines added another in the fourth inning without the benefit of a hit, using a South Williamsport error, two base on balls, and a wild pitch to make it 16-8.

The Mounties loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fifth, but Jay Pipher, who entered in relief in the first inning, escaped without giving up a run.

After South Williamsport scored in the top of the sixth to cut the Waverly lead to 16-9, the Wolverines finished off their scoring with back-to-back two-out, two-RBI doubles by Perry and Tomasso to make it 20-9.

Welles had three hits, including a double, scored two runs, and had four RBI, while Tomasso had three hits, including a double, three runs scored, and two RBI, and Bubniak had three hits, including a double, two runs scored, and two RBI to pace Waverly’s 16-hit attack.

Perry rapped a pair of doubles, scored three runs, and drove in two runs in the win, while Hogan Shaw singled twice, scored two runs, and drove in three runs, Jay Pipher singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run, Jack Pipher singled, scored one run, and knocked in two runs, Ben Shaw singled and scored two runs, and VanHouten scored three runs.

Jay Pipher earned the win, allowing five runs — one earned — on six hits, while striking out six and walking three in five innings of relief.

“Jay Pipher did a nice job in long relief,” said McDuffee.

Jack Pipher and Hogan Shaw, who notched a pair of strikeouts, each pitched a perfect inning of relief.

This is the second year in a row, Waverly has played South Williamsport in a non-league contest.

"I have the utmost respect for Coach Waller and the South Williamsport coaching staff,” said McDuffee. “They have a solid team and will advance quite far this year.”

Waverly, now 8-0, hosts Chenango Forks Monday.

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IN PHOTO: Waverly’s Matthias Welles. … VSR STOCK PHOTO.