NTL BASEBALL: HORTON OUTDUELS MORNINGSTAR; ATHENS CLINCHES LARGE SCHOOL TITLE WITH 2-0 WIN OVER WYALSUING (2023-05-12)

Valley Sports Report
WYALUSING - Athens senior Lucas Horton dominated Wyalusing’s line-up for the second time this season, this time out-dueling Wyalusing ace Blake Morningstar in a 2-0 NTL Large School Division-clinching win here Friday afternoon.

With the win, Athens has a two-game lead on Wyalusing with two games to play, and swept the season series.

Horton, who threw 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball against Wyalusing on April 13, limited the Rams to two hits, while striking out six and walking one in a complete-game, seven-inning effort to earn the win.

Morningstar, a Wake Forest recruit, was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out 12 and walking two.

"Tonight was the match-up everyone wanted to see a couple weeks ago, but trust me, it was worth the wait," said Athens coach Charlie Havens.

"Luke (Horton) and Blake (Morningstar) gave everyone the show they were hoping to see

"Blake was impressive, striking out 12," noted Haven. "Luke had great stuff as well. In 13 2/3 innings against (Wyalusing), he only gave up 2 hits. Tonight, he let his defense do the work, including his own glove, catching a liner and doubling off a runner at third.

"We really played well tonight, very focused," said Havens. "We had six hits, and ran the bases. We moved runners when we had opportunities, leading to our two runs.

"Im so proud of our effort, and proud of how quickly we got over the loss on Tuesday," Havens added. ‘It shows the maturity of our guys. It was a great team effort and win tonight."

Horton led off the game with a single into right field, but was erased on a double play one pitch later.

Senior Mason Lister worked a walk to lead off the second inning, and senior Luke Kraft grounded a single into right field to put runners on first and second.

After a double steal moved the runners to second and third, sophomore Troy Rosenbloom grounded out to shortstop to plate Lister.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, C.J. Carr belted a double for Wyalusing’s first hit of the game, but Horton got the next batter to groundout to senior Cam Sullivan at second base to end the inning.

Senior Jaren Glisson stroked a two-out single in the top of the fourth inning, but Morningstar promptly ended the inning with a strikeout.

Freshman Nick Grazul led off the top of the fifth inning with a single, and senior Caleb Nichols reached on a dropped third strike with two outs to put runners on first and third, but Morningstar again ended the threat with a strikeout.

Carr dew a walk to lead off the home half of the fifth, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch with one out, but Horton registered a strikeout and got another groundout to Sullivan to strand Carr at third base.

Lister led off the top of the sixth inning with a line-drive double, and scored on an RBI single by Kraft to make it 2-0.

Trehnon Hugo led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. He stole second, and took third on a groundout. Kenny Mapes then ripped a liner up the middle, but Horton snared it, and fired to Kraft at third base for a double play to end the inning.

Morningstar fanned the first two Wildcats in the top of the seventh, then ended the inning with an infield pop up.

In the bottom of the inning, Horton struck out the first two Rams, then retired the last batter on a fly ball to Rosenbloom in right field to end the game.

Kraft singled twice and drove in one run, and Lister singled and scored two runs to pace Athens at the plate, while Horton, Glisson, and Grazul added singles, and Rosenbloom drove in one run.

Athens, now 16-1, travels to North Penn-Mansfield Tuesday for a doubleheader.

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IN PHOTO: Athens senior Lucas Horton. … VSR STOCK PHOTO.

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