SECTION III LITTLE LEAGUE (11U): MILLERSBURG RIDES BIG INNING; ELIMINATES ATHENS WITH 16-8 WIN (24 PHOTOS) (2019-07-13)

Valley Sports Report
ATHENS - District 24 champion Millersburg scored eight runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to blow open a close game in a 16-8 win over District 15 champ Athens in the consolation bracket of the Section III Little League 11U baseball playoffs.

Millersburg, playing as the home team, jumped out to a 6-0 lead after three innings, but Athens closed the gap with five runs in the top of the fourth inning.

Charan Venkataswamy and Cylus Lantz hit back-to-back singles, and ended up on second and third to lead off the fourth inning. With one out, Venkataswamy scooted home on a passed ball, then Alex Arcesi plated a run with an infield single to cut the lead to 6-2.

After a walk to Nicholas Robbins, Cooper Robinson stroked an RBI single to right field to make it 6-3.

With two outs, Matthias Welles belted a two-run triple to left field to trim the deficit to 6-5.

Millersburg answered with two runs, thanks in large part to three Athens errors, in the home half of the fourth inning to make it 8-5, but an RBI groundout off the bat of Arcesi made it 8-6.

Millersburg parlayed four hits, including two doubles, four walks, and one error into eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a commanding 16-6 lead.

Welles drove home a run with an RBI double in the top of the sixth, and Venkataswamy knocked in a run with a groundout, but Athens couldn't get any closer.

Welles tripled and doubled and had three RBI, while Venkataswamy singled twice, scored one run, and drove in one run, and Lantz singled twice to lead Athens' eight-hit attack.

Arcesi singled, stole two bases, scored one run, and had two RBI for Athens, while Robinson singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run, Karson Sipley scored one run and stole two bases, and James Friend, Kade Rowe, and Robbins each scored one run.

Braiden McCartney singled twice, scored two runs, and drove in two runs, while Matt Kocher doubled and singled, scored one run, and knocked in one run, and Brayden Midile singled twice and scored three runs to pace Millersburg at the plate.

Kamden Schadel doubled, scored two runs, and drove in two runs in the win, while Eli Peryea doubled, scored one run, and had three RBI, and Teegan Carroll singled, scored one run, and drove in two runs.

Millersburg will Juniata County Sunday in the consolation bracket finals. Juniata College beat Millersburg, 13-3, Friday night.

The winner will face Keystone, which beat Juniata County, 13-0, in the championship game.

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens' Alex Arcesi. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY and MATT PATTON.