Hoosick Falls High School sophomore Cody LaFlamme deals during Thursday's Wasaren League victory over Tamarac High. LaFlamme struck out 11 in six innings of work, bouncing back from a rocky first inning. (All photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

The first inning didn't go exactly as Cody LaFlamme had planned, as he surrendered two straight doubles, a wild pitch and a balk, giving Tamarac a two-run lead before the Panthers even swung the bat.

LaFlamme, however, didn't pack it in and give up on the game that easily. He sent Tamarac down 1-2-3 in the second inning and finished the game with 11 strikeouts. Eight of his final nine outs were recorded via the strikeout and for the other, he picked off Tamarac's Justin Daley at second base to end the fourth inning.

"I tried not to let it bother me," LaFlamme said. "That’s the key. You have to come back from those mistakes and fight harder. You have to do that or else you get down on yourself even more. I just try to work hard and throw strikes."

LaFlamme, now 3-0 in his starts, anchors a Hoosick Falls pitching staff that has not allowed more than two earned runs in a game.

He also came through at the plate. In order: he singled and scored in the first, doubled and scored in the third, reached on a fielder's choice and scored in the fourth and drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.

Hoosick Falls, now 3-1 in Wasaren League action, is 5-1 overall. A season ago, the Panthers won just four games in total.

For the full story, check out The Record on Friday. For the video, click below.

Hoosick Falls' sophomore shortstop Tanner Williams gets those wheels spinning on a stolen base attempt in the first inning of Thursday's game. He stole two bases in the game to go along with two singles and three runs scored.

It really is a youth movement for this Hoosick Falls team. The Panthers start four sophomores: LaFlamme, Williams, Alex Lilac and Josh Mulready and they also pencil in one freshman in left field: Randy Tutunjian.

That's just fine with senior third baseman Seth Foster, one of four seniors on the squad this season.

"We have a lot of young guys and they’re doing a good job this year picking our team up," Foster said. "It was a little bit of a rebuilding year last year, but we didn’t lose many players last year. So we have a lot of experience that we brought back."

Hoosick Falls first baseman Jake Colliano steals second base after a first inning RBI single in front of Tamarac second baseman Brady Talbot (3) during Thursday's Wasaren League game.

Tamarac (1-3, 2-4) received a decent start from Jim Hudson, who didn't walk a single Hoosick Falls batter during his 2.2 innings of work. He did, however, give up eight hits and only three of the five runs he allowed were earned.

The trio of Bengals relievers that followed Hudson struggled to find the strike zone, walking seven the rest of the way as the Panthers surged ahead.

Jon Matala had two hits and designated hitter Nick Casale absolutely crushed a ball to deep left center field in the first inning that fell in for a double.

Still, the Bengals know they'll have to clean up their defense and their control on the mound if they want to get back into the Wasaren League race.

"We’re going to go back to work again and try to work on a few more things," said Tamarac head coach Dave Bestle.

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