CORTLAND - The Susquehanna River Rats 12u baseball team recently competed at the Liftoff Tournament in Cortland, New York at the beautiful cloverleaf designed Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex.

The Rats played a pair of pool play games, with a game Friday night under the lights and a game Saturday afternoon.

Then finished their weekend with a win in the consolation game Sunday, to end their weekend with a record of 1-2.

In the opening game on Friday against RBI Baseball they lost an 11-9 heartbreaker as RBI plated eight runs in the final inning to snatch away the victory.

The River Rats scored runs in the second, third and fourth inning and held an 8-1 lead after four and 8-3 after five, before RBI pulled off the sixth inning comeback.

Trenton Miller got the no decision, hurling the first 5 and a third innings. He allowed four runs - three earned on five hits and a walk, while striking out nine.

Parker Sands took the loss, he pitched the final two-thirds of an innings, surrendering seven runs, on seven hits and a walk, striking out a batter.

In their final pool play game the River Rats dropped a 13-5, five inning decision to the Bridgewater Panthers.

The Panthers scored runs in every inning, while the Rats pushed a pair of runs across in the third and three more in the fifth.

Ridge Hoover tossed the first inning, allowing two runs, on a hit and a walk. 

Kip Ruark worked the next inning and two-thirds, striking out a pair, while giving up six runs, on seven hits and a walk.

Chase Vallone pitched the final inning and two-thirds, he gave up five runs, on seven hits and a walk.

In the consolation game the River Rats defeated the Ontario Jackals 11-7, rallying for seven runs in the fifth inning to pull out the victory.

Hoover again got the nod to start, this time he struck out a trio of batters in his three innings. He allowed four runs, on 10 hits and a walk in the no decision.

Scout Nemeth worked an inning, fanning a pair of Jackals. He gave up two runs - one earned, on two hits.

Sands came in and recorded a strikeout, while allowing a run on three walks. Aiden Lunger got the final two outs for the win, walking a batter.

Miller (6-9) led the River Rats offense with six hits, including a homer and a double, while scoring a team high five runs and driving in a pair.

Brody Cokely (4-8) brought the hammer, slugging a pair of home runs, driving in a team best five runs, while scoring four more.

Ruark (4-8) smacked a pair of doubles, scored four runs and had three RBI. Sands (3-8) hit a home run, while driving in two runs and scoring three.

Nemeth (3-5) also had two doubles and scored three runs. Vallone (3-3) had three singles and scored a run.

Brant Shalata (2-6) had a pair of singles and scored a run, while Hoover (2-6) and Silas Brooks (1-3) each stroked a double to drive in a run and scored once.

Aiden Nystrand (1-6) had a pair of RBI's while Lunger (1-8) drove in a run with a single. Silas Mooney also scored a pair of runs on the weekend.