NTL BASEBALL: MOSHER, JACOB KEY ATHENS COME-FROM-BEHIND WIN OVER WYALUSING; COMEBACK FALLS SHORT IN RESUMPTION OF SUSPENDED GAME (24 PHOTOS) (2024-05-08)
Valley Sports ReportATHENS — Senior Connor Mosher ignited an Athens comeback with a solo home run, and senior Nicholas Jacob capped the rally with the game-winning hit in an 8-7 win over Wyalusing here Wednesday afternoon in NTL Large School baseball action.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 7-10, and need to win their final three games to qualify for the postseason.
"We are still alive," said Athens coach Charlie Havens. "Win or lose that was fun baseball — high energy, lots of emotion, my kind of ball right there.
"We had one bad inning and that’s a spot that normally would crush us, but (Connor) Mosher hit a huge solo shot and it changed everything," noted Havens. "The bats really came to life and (Duncan) Thetga closed things out.
"We didn’t quit and that has to be our mentality the rest of the way; keep staying alive," added Havens,
The day began with the completion of the game suspended April 30 with Wyalusing leading Athens, 7-0, in the top of the fifth inning. The Rams held on for an 8-5 win.
Wyalusing 8, Athens 5The Rams led 7-0 when the rains came April 30, and added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning Wednesday to extend the lead to 8-0.
In the top of the sixth inning, junior Troy Rosenbloom, and sophomore Nick Grazul both reached on errors. After a double steal put the runners at second and third, Jacob lined a two-RBI single into left field to make it 8-2.
Later in the inning, sophomore Cooper Robinson knocked in a run with an infield single to close the gap to 8-3.
In the seventh, Grazul rapped a one-out double, and Jacob drove the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence for his first career home run to close the gap to 8-5.
With two outs, freshman Brendan Cooke singled, but Parker Petlock recorded the final out to lock down the win.
Jacob homered and singled, scored two runs, and had four RBI for the Wildcats, while Cooke singled twice, Grazul doubled and scored one run, Robinson singled and drove in one run, and freshmen Connor Davidson, and Kamdyn Wheeler each added a single.
Athens 8, Wyalusing 7Wyalusing jumped out to a 3-0 win, but Athens quickly tied the game.
In the bottom of the second, Mosher worked a walk, and advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw, and stole home to close the gap to 3-1.
With one out, Rosenbloom re-ignited the rally with a single, and junior Dylan Saxon and Robinson worked walks to load the bases, but Trehnon Hugo was able to avoid further damage.
In the third inning, Cooke led off with a line-drive single, and Grazul reached on an error. After the runners moved up on a wild pitch, Jacob stroked a one-out RBI single to trim the deficit to 3-2, and Saxon looped a single into short right field to tie the game at 3-3.
The Wildcats had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Grazul line shot down the third-base line was snared by Kenny Mapes for a double play.
The Rams used that momentum and scored four runs in the top of the fifth — all four coming after the first two batters were retired.
With the bases loaded on a walk, a single, and a hit batsman, Wyalusing scored on a walk, a hit batsman, and a passed ball that resulted in to runs scoring to make it 7-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Mosher hit the second pitch of the inning over the left-field fence to close the gap to 7-4.
With one out, Rosenbloom singled, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Robinson to make it 7-5.
Nick Vanderpool and Hugo singled to lead off the top of the sixth, and advanced to second and third base on a wild pitch, but freshman Duncan Thetga, in his first inning of relief, struck out the next two batters, and induced a groundout to escape unscathed.
In the bottom of the inning, Cooke drilled a one-out home run — the first of his career — to pull Athens within a run, at 7-6.
Grazul followed with a double, and scored on an RBI single by Mosher to tie the game at 7-7.
With Mosher on third base following a wild pitch, Jacob ripped a double into centerfield to give the Wildcats an 8-7 lead.
Thetga worked around a single and a walk in the top of the seventh to preserve the win.
Thetga earned the win, tossing two innings of scoreless relief, allowing three hits, while striking out two, and walking one.
Mosher homered and singled, scored three runs, and had two RBI, and Cooke homered and singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run, and Jacob doubled and singled, and drove in two runs to pace Athens’ 11-hit attack.
Rosenbloom singled twice, stole two bases, and scored one run in the win, while Grazul doubled, and scored two runs, and Saxon and Robinson each singled, and drove in one run.
Athens returns to action Thursday when it hosts Susquehanna Valley — weather permitting.
——————
IN PHOTO 1: Athens senior Nicholas Jacob. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
Print Friendly Version
