NTL BASEBALL: ATHENS RIDES BIG 7TH INNING TO 16-8 WIN OVER WYALUSING (2019-04-17)

Valley Sports Report
WYALUSING "” Wyalusing led for six innings, but Athens erupted for nine runs in the top of the seventh inning for a 16-8 win here Wednesday afternoon in NTL Large School baseball action.

The game featured 28 hits, including 16 by Athens, and 20 runners left on base, including 13 by Wyalusing. Both teams committed six errors.

The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI double by senior Nate Kennedy that scored senior Kaden Rude, who led off the game with a single up the middle.

Wyalusing answered with four runs on five hits in the home half of the first, and added two more runs in the second inning, thanks to three Wildcat errors, to take a 6-1 lead.

Junior Chase Minnick led off the top of the third with a double and scored on a one-out triple by senior Ethan WItherow, who scored on an RBI double by Kennedy.

Kennedy scored on a two-out error to trim the deficit to 6-4, but Wyalusing countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 8-4.

The Wildcats began chipping away at the lead in the top of the fourth inning.

Kaden Rude reached on an error to lead off the inning, then Witherow walked and Kennedy singled to load the bases. Senior Joe Parshall forced home the first run when he was hit by a pitch.

Sophomore Kyler Setzer followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 8-6.

Freshman Karter Rude led off the top of the sixth inning with a single and advanced to third base on a miscue by the right fielder. Moments later, he scored on an RBI double by Minnick to trim the deficit to 8-7.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Setzer and junior Joel Maslin each walked, and senior Nick Watkins stroked an RBI single to tie the game at 8-8.

Maslin scooted home on a passed ball to give the Wildcats the lead for the good, and junior Brady Smith added to the lead with an RBI single.

A double by Minnick put runners on second and third, and Kaden Rude ripped a two-run double to make it 12-8.

An error scored Athens' next run, then Kennedy, sophomore Tanner Dildine, and Watkins added RBI singles to cap the scoring.

Kennedy was 4-for-5 with two doubles, one run scored and three RBI, and Minnick belted three doubles, scored two runs, and drove in a run to pace Athens' 16-hit attack, while Kaden Rude doubled and singled, scored two runs, stole two bases, and drove in two runs, and Watkins singled twice, scored one run, and drove in two runs.

Witherow tripled, scored three runs, and drove in two runs, while Parshall doubled, scored one run, and knocked in one run, Dildine and Smith each singled, scored one run, and drove in one run, and Karter Rude singled and scored one run.

Kennedy earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed two hits and walked one.

Minnick pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief, allowing two runs - one earned - on four hits and two walks.

Athens, now 8-0, travels to Sayre Thursday.

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IN PHOTO: Athens senior Nate Kennedy.