NTL BASEBALL: ATHENS TOPS NP-MANSFIELD, TOWANDA ON FINAL DAY OF REGULAR SEASON (2019-05-18)

Valley Sports Report
ATHENS - NTL Large School champion Athens wrapped up the regular season with a pair of wins Saturday, topping North Penn-Mansfield at home in the morning, then traveling to Wysox for a 15-0 win over Towanda in the afternoon in baseball action.

Athens 12, NP-Mansfield 2, 5 innings
At Athens, North Penn-Mansfield scored two runs in the top of the first inning, but Athens answered quickly and rolled to a 12-2 five-inning win Saturday morning.

The Tigers opened the game with three consecutive singles to load the bases, but junior Aaron Lane nearly pitched out of the jam.

After a shallow fly ball to left fielder Kyler Setzer, and a line drive to third baseman Joel Maslin accounted for the first two outs, an errant pick-off throw allowed two runs to score to give NP-M a 2-0 lead.

Senior Kaden Rude led off the home half of the first inning, stole second, and scored on a line-drive RBI single by senior Nate Kennedy. After a double by senior Ethan Witherow, junior Keegan Rude lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game at 2-2. Witherow scored moments later on an error to give the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.

Lane retired Towanda in order in the second and third inning, then the Wildcats added to their lead in the home half of the third. Maslin and Aaron Lane stroked RBI singles as part of a three-run rally that extended the lead to 6-2.

Keegan Rude hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning, and junior Brady Smith stroked a two-out, two-run single to make it 9-2. Lane added an RBI single, and an NP-M error plated another run to make it 11-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, Witherow singled, Setzer walked, and Parshall ended the game via the 10-run "mercy" rule with an RBI double to left field.

Lane, who allowed just one hit after the first inning, earned the win, allowed two unearned runs on four hits, while striking out five and walking two in a complete-game, five-inning performance.

Witherow was 4-for-4 with a double, four runs scored, and senior Joe Parshall doubled and singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run to pace Athens' 13-hit attack, while Lane singled twice and drove in two runs, Kennedy singled, scored two runs, and knocked in one run, and Smith singled, scored one run, and drove in two runs.

Keegan Rude singled and had two RBI in the win, while Maslin singled, scored one run, and knocked in one run, Kaden Rude singled and scored one run, Setzer scored one run, and Jared Williams drove in one run.

Athens 15, Towanda 0, 5 innings
At Wysox, Athens scored five runs in the top of the third inning to take control, and five more in the fourth inning to blow the game open en route to a 15-0 five-inning win over Towanda Saturday afternoon.

Senior Ethan Witherow had three hits, including a double, and scored three runs, and senior Joe Parshall had three hits, including a double, scored one run, and drove in one run to pace Athens' 15-hit attack, while junior Keegan Rude homered and singled, scored one run, and had four RBI, and junior Joel Maslin was 2-for-2 with a run scored, and two RBI.

Senior Nick Watkins singled, scored three runs, and drove in one run for the Wildcats, while senior Nate Kennedy singled, scored two runs, and knocked in one run, freshmen Kyler Setzer and Karter Rude each had one hit and one RBI, senior Kaden Rude singled and scored one run, and junior Brady Smith scored one run and drove in one run.

Four Athens pitchers combined on a four-hitter in the win. Keegan Rude earned he victory with three runs of one-hit relief, striking out three and walking one.

Athens, which wraps up the regular season at 15-4, returns to action Wednesday when it hosts Loyalsock in the District 4, Class AAA quarterfinals.