Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
BUFFALO The bottom of the lineup came through for top-seeded Buffalo as they plated three fifth inning runs, breaking a 1-1 tie, to defeat second-seeded and sixth-ranked Man, 5-1, Wednesday night at Buffalo High School in the Class A Region 4 Section 1 tournament.
With the win the Bison secured their first sectional championship since 2017 and will face fourth-ranked Wahama Monday in game one of the best of three series at Wahama High School for the Class A Region 4 championship.
Caiden Craig, the No. 8 hitter in the Buffalo lineup, broke a 1-1 tie with his run scoring double to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead. Carson Saunders added a two-run double to push the lead to 4-1, which was plenty of run support for starting pitcher Caleb Nutter.
Nutter allowed one unearned run on five hits while striking out nine and walking two in a complete game seven inning performance on the mound and was also 3-for-3 at the plate for the Bison.
Man jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on Brayden Compton’s run scoring double, but the Bison answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the second inning.
With two outs, the ninth hitter in the Buffalo lineup, Evan Panero, blooped a game tying single to left to even the score at 1.
The Bison got an RBI single from Brady Kidd in the fifth inning to close the scoring and put the hosts up 5-1.
Saunders was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs and Craig 1-for-3 with a double and one RBI for Buffalo. Kidd and Panero each went 1-for-3 and had one RBI apiece.
Buffalo also got contributions from Attilo and Luca Signirini. Attilo had two hits and scored twice and Luca had one hit.
Man ace Bo Thompson took the loss after allowing five runs on 10 hits in six innings pitched. He struck out five and walked one.
Compton had a double and one RBI and Kaden Dickerson, Cam Gerace, Braxton Messer and Colton Miller each had one hit for the Hillbillies.
Buffalo improves to 15-11 while Man ended its season with a record of 18-13.