NTL BASBEALL: THETGA'S WALK-OFF SINGLE CAPS WILDCATS' COMEBACK WIN OVER NP-M (17 PHOTOS) (2025-05-07)
Valley Sports ReportATHENS — North Penn-Mansfield rallied with five runs in the top of the seventh, but sophomore Duncan Thetga's walk-off RBI single in the home half capped Athens' wild 8-7 win here Wednesday afternoon in NTL Large School Division baseball action.
With the win, Athens (13-2 overall), improves to 10-1, and leads Troy (10-5, 8-3) by 2 games with three games remaining to play. NP-M falls to 9-4, 7-4.
"That was a tough game — an absolutely hard-fought win," said Athens coach Charlie Havens.
The Wildcats took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Senior Troy Rosenbloom stroked a one-out single, and sophomore Connor Davidson ripped a to right field. After a passed ball scored Rosenbloom, Davidson scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Brady Flynn.
NP-M scored an unearned run in the top of the third to close the gap to 2-1.
An RBI single by sophomore Duncan Thetga in the bottom of the fourth inning gave the Wildcats a 3-1 lead, but they left the bases loaded.
NP-M scored a run with a pair of two-out hits in the top of the fifth inning to trim the deficit to 3-2, and Athens pushed its lead back to two runs on an RBI single by junior Eli Chapman in the bottom of the sixth.
NP-M took a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh on a pair of two-out run-scoring hits, and stretched the lead to 7-4 on an error.
The Tigers appeared to increase their lead with a single to center field, but Rosenbloom gunned down a runner at the plate to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rosenbloom and Davidson reached on errors to start the rally.
After Flynn looped a single to right field to load the bases, sophomore Kam Wheeler and senior Dylan Saxon worked walks to force home runs and close the gap to 7-6.
After Flynn scampered home on a wild pitch to tie the game at 7-7, Thetga stroked an RBI single to left field to give the Wildcats the win.
"It was a big-time pitchers duel — until the 7th inning, of course," said Havens.
"Duncan (Thetga) deserved the win, but got caught up with the pitch-count rule," noted Havens. "Then, we really didn’t play well behind Wheeler ... and Mansfield is such a good team, they took advantage of our miscues.
"The guys didn’t get down, and it was huge play by (Troy) Rosenbloom gunning another run down at the plate," said Havens. "In the bottom half, we just took advantage of their miscues.
"It was a perfect ending for us, having Thetga walk it off.
"Pretty awesome memories were made for those boys tonight," added Havens. "Back at it tomorrow, just trying to get another step closer to an NTL title."
Thetga singled twice and drove in two runs to pace Athens at the plate, while Wheeler singled, scored two runs, and knocked in one run, and Flynn singled, scored one run, and had one RBI.
Davidson doubled and scored two runs for the Wildcats, while Rosenbloom singled and scored two runs, Saxon doubled and drove in one run, Chapman singled and knocked in one run, and junior Karson Sipley added a single.
Thetga allowed four runs — two earned — on six hits, with nine strikeouts and one walk in 6 1/3 innings in a no decision.
Wheeler earned the win, allowing three runs — one earned — on three hits, with one strikeout and one walk.
Athens, now 13-2, returns to action Thursday at Cowanesque Valley.
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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM.
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