NTL SOFTBALL: NP-L HANDS ATHENS FIRST LOSS OF SEASON; AVENGES EARLY-SEASON LOSS (18 PHOTOS) (2025-05-07)

Valley Sport Report
ATHENS — North Penn-Liberty scored the game's only run in the second inning to win a battle of 1-hitters in a 1-0 win over Athens here Wednesday afternoon in NTL Large School Division action.

With the win, NP-L avenges a 5-1 loss to Athens earlier this season, which snapped a 50-game regular-season win streak.

"It was a great  game today with two good teams and great pitching," said Athens coach Brian Wendela. (North Penn-Liberty) has the potential to win a district title if 'Booth' pitches like that.

"Offensively we didn’t hit the ball like we wanted and I take the blame on that," noted Wendela. "I should have had the girls a little more focused.

At the end of the day there is such thing as good losses and today was one of them.

"It's good for the girls to learn how to play through adversity and we struggled with that a little bit today," added Wendela. "What we can do is learn from today’s game and use that as a building structure moving forward and finish the season off strong."

Athens only hit off the game was a lead-off single by sophomore Gretchan Hiley in the bottom of the first inning.

The only other Athens batters to reach base were junior Savannah Finan, who worked a two-out walk in the second inning, and freshman Memphis Paul, who reached on one-out error in the fourth inning.

Hiley was the only Athens base-runner to reach second base against NP-L ace Elyna Booth, who retired the last 10 batters she faced.

Booth also started the winning rally by drawing a one-out walk in the second inning. With two outs, Elaina Shaw ripped an RBI double to left field to give NP-L a 1-0 lead.

Hiley, who also retired the last 10 batters she faced, was tagged with the tough-luck loss. She allowed one run on one hit, while striking out 14 and walking two.

Booth earned the win for the Mounties, allowing one hit and one walk, while striking out seven in seven innings.

Athens, now 14-1, travels to Cowanesque Valley Thursday.

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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM.

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