NTL SOFTBALL: ATHENS TOPS WYALUSING 8-1, FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN (14 PHOTO) (2024-04-30)
Valley Sports ReportWYALUSING - A strong pitching performance by junior Savannah Persun, and several key hits lifted Athens to an 8-1 win - its fifth straight — over Wyalusing here Tuesday afternoon in an NTL Large School Division softball contest shortened to five innings by rain.
"We knew Wyalusing was a team we couldn’t take lightly," said Athens coach Brian Wendela. "They have been playing some good softball the last few weeks.
"The girls came out early again with some really quality at-bats," noted Wendela. "They stayed disciplined, working walks and that led to a couple key hits. Ashlyn VanFleet came through in the first inning with a big triple to set the tone … it was a really big hit to get her team off on the right foot.
"Jules Pack had a huge base-clearing, two-out double in the second inning, and I really think that was the key at-bat in the game," said Wendela. "She really has been on fire lately and that hit really helped to give us some breathing room.
And, we got another very solid pitching performance from Savannah Persun," added Wendela. "It was windy, with some rain, but she buckled in … I think her experience paid off. She pitched very well considering the conditions."
Freshman Gretchan Hiley worked a walk to lead off the game, junior Ella Coyle was ht by a pitch to put runners on first and second.
With one out, senior Ashlyn VanFleet ripped a two-run triple into the gap to give the Wildcats a quick 2-0 lead.
After Persun struck out the side in order in the home half of the first, the Wildcats took firm control of the game with five runs in the top of the second inning.
With one out, sophomore Danica May doubled, and Gretchan Hiley reached on a fielder’s choice when May beat a throw to third base.
May scored moments later to make it 3-0 on a fielder’s choice grounder that allowed Coyle to reach when Hiley beat the force out at second.
After a walk to Persun, VanFleet knocked in a run with a fielder’s choice groundout that upped the lead to 4-0.
Moments later, sophomore Maddie Hiley was hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting the stage for a three-RBI double by junior Jules Pack that extended the Athens lead to 7-0.
Athens tacked on a run in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single by sophomore Savannah Finan to make it 8-0.
The Rams broke up the shutout with a two-out RBI double in the top of the fifth inning, but game was called at the completion of the half-inning.
The Wyalusing run was significant in the fact that it was the first Athens has allowed in its last five games, and broke a stretch in which the Wildcats have scored 78 unanswered runs.
Athens has outscored its opponents 77-1 during its five-game win streak.
VanFleet tripled, scored one run, and had three RBI, and Pack doubled and drove in three runs to pace Athens’ four-hit attack, while Finan singled and drove in one run, and May doubled, and scored one run.
Gretchan Hiley scored two runs in the win, while Coyle scored one run, and knocked in one run, and Persun crossed the place once.
Persun earned the win, allowing an unearned run on two hits, while striking out six and walking none in five innings of work.
Athens, now 8-5, returns to action Thursday at Towanda.
——————
IN PHOTO 1: Athens junior Savannah Persun. … PHOTOS COURTESY OF BECKY FASSETT.
Print Friendly Version
