NTL BASEBALL: NP-M PLATES LATE UNEARNED RUN TO EDGE ATHENS, 4-3 (20 PHOTOS) (2024-05-03)

Valley Sports Report
MANSFIELD - North Penn-Mansfield scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull out a 4-3 win over Athens here Friday afternoon in NTL Large School Division baseball action.

"Nick Grazul pitched a great game and really deserved a better outcome," said Athens coach Charlie Havens. "We made a couple defensive mistakes and really couldn’t get that clutch hit with runners on.

"Overall, I’m proud of how we played and competed," added Havens. "We aren’t done yet … I believe we will keep competing until the end."

The Tigers drew blood with three runs in the bottom of the second inning, but the Wildcats answered with two runs in the top of the third to close the gap to 3-2.

Sophomore Eli Chapman, and freshman Connor Davidson led off the inning with consecutive singles, and freshman Brendan Cooke worked a walk to load the bases.

After a run scored on an error, junior Troy Rosenbloom capped the rally with a two-out RBI single.

Cooke and sophomore Nick Grazul led off the fifth inning with back-to-back singles that left the runners at second and third after Grazul took second on the throw to third base.

With two outs, Cooke scampered home on a wild pitch to tie the game at 3-3.

Consecutive errors with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning left Tiger runners on second and third, and a groundout off the bat of Lucas Shaut plated the go-ahead run to make it 4-3.

NP-M reliever Cooper Shaw retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to nail down the win.

Grazul was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs — one earned - on four hits, while striking out nine and walking one in six innings.

Cooke singled twice and scored one run, and Rosenbloom singled twice and drove in one run to pace Athens’ eight-hit attack, while Davidson and Chapman each singled and scored one run, and Grazul and senior Nicholas Jacob each added a single. Senior Connor Mosher added an RBI.

Athens, now 6-9, returns to action Wednesday when it hosts Wyalusing.

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens sophomore Nick Grazul. … PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM.

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