DISTRICT 15 LITTLE LEAGUE (SENIORS): ATHENS TOPS SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, 10-3, IN FIRST GAME OF BEST-OF-THREE SERIES (24 PHOTOS) (2024-07-01)

Valley Sports Report
ATHENS -- Brendan Cooke hit for the cycle, and Connor Davidson also rapped out four hits in support of a complete game by Duncan Thetga in Athens’ 10-3 win over South Williamsport here Monday evening in the first game of a best-of-three series in the Section 3 Little League Seniors Division baseball playoffs.

Athens, playing as the visiting team, drew first blood in the top of the first inning when Cooke belted a two-out triple, and scored on an error off the bat of Matthias Welles, who later scored on an RBI single by Alex McQuay.

Athens made it 3-0 in the top of the third inning on a lead-off double by Davidson, and an RBI single by Cooke.

South Williamsport closed the gap to 3-2 in the home half of the inning, and had the bases loaded with one out, but a groundball to McQuay at third base turned into a double play when he fired home to Davidson, who fired to Welles at first to complete the 5-2-3 twin-killing.

Athens then pulled off more two-out magic, plating four runs after two outs to extend the lead to 7-2.

Brady Flynn led off the top of the fourth with a single, but courtesy-runner Karson Sipley was still at first with two outs. After Sipley stole second, Eli Hobday rapped an RBI double to make it 4-2, then on an RBI single by Davidson to extend the lead to 5-2.

After Davidson stole second, he scored on a line-drive RBI double by Cooke, who scored moments later on an error of the bat of Welles, to make it 7-2.

South stole a run — literally — in the bottom of the fifth on a steal of home to close the gap to 7-3, but Cooke belted a two-run home run over the left-field fence in the top of the sixth to give Athens a 9-3 lead.

Flynn stole home in the top of the seventh to provide the final run of the game.

Cooke was 4-for-5 with three runs scored, and four RBI, and Davidson was 4-for-5 with a double, three runs scored, and one RBI to pace Athens’ 14-hit attack, while Hobday doubled and singled, scored one run, and drove in one run, and Kamdyn Wheeler added a pair of singles.

McQuay singled and drove in one run in the win, while Flynn singled and scored one run, and Welles and Sipley each scored one run.

Thetga allowed three runs on eight hits in seven innings to earn the win. He struck out two and walked two, while throwing 93 pitches.

Athens hosts South Williamsport Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in Game 2.

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens’ Brendan Cooke. IN TOP PHOTO: Athens’ Brendan Cooke. … PHOTOS BY MATT PATTON.

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