Buffalo-Area High School Baseball Coach Accused of Tanking A Game Steps Away

Chris Gruarin, head coach of the Williamsville East baseball team, was accused of throwing game to get a better playoff seeding

The Williamsville East baseball team, from Buffalo, New York, is in the center of a controversy after its coach was accused of tanking a game to improve his club's playoff seeding. / John Meore/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK

The head coach of a Buffalo-area high-school baseball team accused of throwing a game for more favorable playoff seeding has decided to step away, according to reports.

The Buffalo News reported on Saturday that Chris Gruarin, head coach of the Williamsville East baseball team, is stepping away indefinitely. Williamsville East athletic director Melissa Spada provided the announcement to The Buffalo News.

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Coach Accuses Buffalo-Area Baseball Team of Throwing a Game

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The decision comes after Hamburg coach Derek Hill accused the Flames in a letter for tanking a game against the Bulldogs on Tuesday for a better position in the Section VI Class AA playoffs, The Buffalo News reported on Friday.

The game in question saw Williamsville East down 7-0 and come-from-behind to win 14-7 against Hamburg.

Spada provided a statement to The Buffalo News, noting that Gruarin “will be voluntarily stepping away until further notice”:

“Coach Gruarin took full responsibility for Tuesday night's game against Hamburg and recognizes the impact this has had on the student-athletes and community.”

Hill sent a letter, obtained by The Buffalo News, to Section VI baseball chairman Robert Parry to express his allegations.

“While we understand that strategy plays a role in competitive sports, deliberately manipulating the outcome of a game raises significant ethical and procedural concerns that affect the integrity of the sectional tournament as a whole,” Hill said in his letter.

Hill said that with Williamsville East’s efforts in throwing the game, they will face ninth-seeded Olmsted/Culinary/Emerson in the Class AA opening round. A victory for the Flames would then position them to take on top-seeded Hutch Tech in the quarterfinal round.

In the letter, Hill mentioned that Buffalo Public Schools historically “do not fare well” against teams from outside the district. Hill added that going up against two-straight BPS squads would allow Williamsville East to rest its top pitcher until the semifinal round.

Hill stated the following in his letter:

“At the core of high school athletics lies a commitment to sportsmanship, integrity, and fair play. These are not abstract ideals – they are foundational values meant to guide student-athletes as they develop both as competitors and as young adults. When a team chooses to underperform for strategic advantage, it sends a troubling message: that the ends justify the means, and that success is worth more than honesty or effort.

“While this may not be a violation of an explicit rule, it certainly violates the spirit in which high school athletics are intended to be played. If left unaddressed, it risks normalizing behavior that prioritizes manipulation over merit, and strategic avoidance over genuine competition.”

A breakdown of Hill’s allegations can be found here.

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