NTL BASEBALL: GRAZUL LEADS ATHENS TO SEASON-OPENING 6-1 WIN OVER TOWANDA (March 30, 2026)
Valley Sports ReportWYSOX — Senior Nick Grazul pitched 4 2/3 strong innings, and rapped out a pair of hits to lead Athens to a season-opening, 6-1, win over Towanda here Sunday afternoon in NTL Large School baseball action.
"Obviously, it's great to get the win, but it's also important to face quality competition and see what we need to work on," said Athens coach Charlie Havens.
"We left some runners on base early, so we will work on some situational hitting tomorrow," he noted.
"Our pitching was strong, but we walked nine, so we need to clean some things up there as well," he added.
Grazul fanned 12 and walked four, while allowing one run on two hits in a no-decision.
"Graz had an excellent start to the season, with a couple hits and 12 Ks on the mound," said Havens.
Junior Brady Flynn struck out two and walked three in 1 1/3 innings of no-hit relief to earn the win, and junior Duncan Thetga closed out the game, striking out three, walking two and allowing one hit in one inning of relief.
Athens took the lead in the top of the third inning on a two out RBI single by Grazul to plate junior Connor Davidson, who had walked and stolen second base.
Grazul struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced, then struck out two more in the fourth inning, pitching around two walks and a single, thanks in part to Davidson gunning down a would-be Black Knight base-stealer.
Freshman Zeke Noble stroked a single up the middle — his first varsity hit — to lead off the fifth inning, and Davidson followed with a single. After a walk to Grazul loaded the bases, a line drive and a double-player groundout ended the inning.
Towanda tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a two-out RBI single by Boom Thompson, but Athens answered with a run in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single — his first varsity hit — by freshman Shea Davidson.
Athens added four insurance runs — on just two hits — in the seventh inning to take a 6-1 lead.
After walks to Noble and Connor Davidson to start the inning, Grazul singled to load the bases, and junior Brendan Cooke worked a walk to force home a run for a 3-1 lead.
With one out, Thetga knocked home a run with a sacrifice fly, and senior Eli Hobday capped the rally with a two-RBI single to left field.
Grazul singled twice, scored one run, and drove in one run to pace Athens' six-hit attack, while Connor Davidson singled and scored two runs, and Hobday singled and knocked in two runs.
Shea Davidson singled and drove in one run, and Noble singled and scored one run in the win, while Cooke scored one run and drove in one run, Thetga knocked in one run, and junior Kam Wheeler scored one run.
"It was awesome to see Zeke (Noble) and Shea (Davidson) get their first varsity hits," said Havens.
Athens returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Wyalusing.
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IN PHOTO: Athens senior Nick Grazul. ... VSR STOCK PHOTO.
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