SECTION 3 LITTLE LEAGUE (JUNIORS): ATHENS ROLLS OVER JERSEY SHORE IN OPENING GAME OF SECTIONALS (6 PHOTOS) (2021-07-20)

Valley Sports Report
NEW BERLIN, Pa. "” A trio of pitchers combined on a no-hitter, and Athens took advantage of six base on balls and four Jersey Shore errors in a, 12-2, five-inning win here Tuesday evening in the opening game of the Section 3 Little League Juniors Division baseball playoffs.

Athens will now face Warrior Run Wednesday in the winner's bracket finals of the double-elimination tournament.

Dylan Saxon started on the mound for Athens, allowing one run on three walks, with one strikeout in two innings.

Matthias Welles allowed an unearned run in 2 1/3 innings of relief, while striking out two and walking one. Nick Grazul finished off the game, striking out two and walking two in 2/3 of an inning.

Jersey Shore took advantage of a lead-off walk, a stolen base, and two groundouts to take a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Athens took control of the game in the bottom of the second inning.

With one out, Saxon and Welles worked walks, and Eli Chapman singled to load the bases.Eli Hobday knotted the game at 1-1 with a fielder's choice groundout.

Kade Rowe gave Athens the lead for good, at 3-1, with a two-RBI single. After an error, Grazul made it 4-1 with an RBI single, and Troy Rosenbloom pushed the lead to 6-1 with a two-run line-drive single  to left field.

After Rosenbloom stole second, Karter Green capped the rally with an RBI double to make it 7-1.

Cooper Robinson led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single. It was Athens' only hit in the frame, but an error, three hit batsmen, two walks, and a pair of wild pitches helped Athens to four runs, and an 11-1 lead.

Jersey Shore kept the game going with a run in the top of the fifth inning, but Athens invoked the 10-run "mercy rule" in the home half when Chapman was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home the game-winning run.

Green doubled, scored one run, and drove in two runs, and Rosenbloom singled, scored one run, and knocked in two runs to pace Athens at the plate.

Rowe singled, scored one run, and had three RBI in the win, while Grazul singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run, Chapman singled, scored one run, and knocked in one run, Robinson singled and scored two runs, Elijah Hobday scored one run and drove in one run, Brady Darrow had one RBI, and Karson Sipley, Welles, and Oliver Johnson each scored one run.

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens' Nick Grazul ... PHOTOS BY LARRY JACKSON.