WATKINS GLEN - SVEC baseball and Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour went toe-to-toe on Thursday in a first round Section IV Class B matchup that saw multiple momentum swings and lead changes, with the Storm pulling out the win in the final inning, 12-11.

The Eagles came out hot, scoring runs in each of the first three innings. In the first inning, Logan Aman led off with a base-hit and Cam Sinn reached on a walk. With one out, Deveon Aman singled to drive in Jason Jantz, before Kellen Williamson grounded into a fielder's choice to bring home Sinn and put SVEC up 2-0.

In the second inning, Zach Lang knocked a line drive single to centerfield for the Eagles. Wyatt Ross and Sirron Irvin both got on after back-to-back Watkins Glen/O-M errors, loading the bases. Xavier Beach hit into a fielder's choice that allowed one run to score, and with two outs, Jason Jantz put a ball in play to get Ross home for a 4-0 lead.

To start the third inning, Deveon Aman took first after being hit by a pitch and Williamson singled to right field. Lang smacked a hard hit ground ball that resulted in an error by the Storm, allowing Aman to score. 

Deveon Aman pitched three scoreless innings, before the Storm plated five runs in the fourth inning to tie the game up. Watkins Glen/O-M went through their order in the fifth to score four more, while grabbing another run in the sixth to go up 10-5.

SVEC would not go down quietly, using the top part of the seventh and final inning to score six runs and regain the lead.

Cam Sinn led off the seventh with a base-hit to third base, and Deveon Aman reached base on an error. Williamson lifted a ball to right field to drive home Sinn. Lang stepped to the plate next and hit a liner to right, bringing home Aman. With no outs, Ross was hit by a pitch to load the bases. 

Two batters later, Nicholas Oaks walked, which allowed a run to score, followed by Logan Aman working another walk to get a run home. Jantz grounded out in the next at-bat, but drove in Ross to tie the game up. SVEC's go ahead run came after Oaks scored on a wild pitch.

In the home half of the final inning, the momentum swung once again, however. The Storm's first two batters of the inning both walked, with the lead off hitter advancing to third after a pair of steals. In the next at-bat, Watkins Glen/O-M put a ball on the ground and tied the game up due to an error. SVEC would then walk two consecutive batters, which allowed the winning run to plate.

Kellen Williamson went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Zach Lang had an RBI to go with a pair of hits, while Cam Sinn and Deveon Aman both scored two runs each. Sirron Irvin, Logan Aman and Xavier Beach all had hits in the game, and Wyatt Ross scored twice.

"This was a great game to be apart of. I am proud of our players for battling back and not giving up," said SVEC co-coach, Chris Teribury.

"I am super proud of this team. We came very close to winning a sectional game, which has never happened since the two schools combined."

"Overall it was a really solid year for us and we will be looking to continue to build the program going forward," added Teribury.

"This season was a great step forward for our program. Our players showed tremendous growth, both on and off the field," said SVEC co-coach Tyler Lloyd.

"I'm proud of the effort and resilience these athletes displayed throughout the season. With the experience gained and the work ethic we have built, the future is bright for SVEC baseball."

"We are really going to miss these seniors, but they left a lasting impression on our underclassmen. Their future is bright in whatever they decide to do next," added coach Lloyd.

The Eagles finish 7-9 for the 2025 season.

PHOTO: TCSR STOCK....DEVEON AMAN