NTL BASEBALL: BALANCED ATTACK LEADS ATHENS TO 11-1 ROUT OF WYALUSING (April 4, 2026)

BY TIM TAYLOR
Valley Sports Report
ATHENS — Ty Owen pitched a 3-hitter and nine players contributed to the offense as Athens defeated Wyalusing, 11-1, in six innings in NTL baseball action here Saturday.

“That's exactly how we envision this going forward here,” said coach Charlie Havens, of the Wildcats’ team effort.

“We got a great game from Ty Owen, just pounded the zone all day, which is what we need out of our starting pitching.”

Athens took control early, turning a double play in the top of the first inning, then scored four runs in the home half.

“We're going to play defense and hit the ball. We’ve got some guys performing,” Havens said. “Very good defense.

“It was all about pounding the zone. We've been struggling with that with starting pitching, throwing strikes, so Ty came in, did a great job for us today. It's exactly what we needed.”

With two away and Nick Grazul on second following a base on balls and stolen base, Brady Flynn singled to left, moved to second on the throw and Grazul scored. Duncan Thetga was hit by a pitch and Kamdyn Wheeler drew a walk to load the bases. Eli Hobday singled to center, plating Flynn and Thetga for a 3-0 lead.

Hobday advanced to second on defensive indifference, then Zeke Noble connected for the first of his four base hits. Wheeler would score to give Athens a 4-0 cushion.

Owen retired the side in the second, sandwiching a strikeout between a pair of infield ground outs. The Wildcats loaded the bases in the home half of the second, but were unable to push a run across.

The Rams would put a run on the scoreboard in the third, wrapping singles by Landry Tinna and Marshall Huston around a pair of Athens errors, but Griffin Sheldon was thrown out attempting to score, minimizing the damage.

Noble and Owen would single in the home half of the inning, but Wyalusing turned a double play to shut down the threat.

Wyalusing managed a single in the fourth, but Owen retired the side in the fifth and sixth.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats extended their lead.

Grazul doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth and Brendan Cooke was hit by a pitch and the duo scored on separate wild pitches. Thetga doubled, but was stranded at third as the Wildcats pushed their advantage to 6-0.

Noble started the bottom of the fifth with a single, Owen reached on a fielder’s choice, Kade Rowe was hit by a pitch, and Cooke brought Owen and Rowe across with a double to center to make it 8-1.

An error on Flynn’s fly ball to center, a walk to Alex McQuay and an error by the catcher allowed Flynn to reach home and give the Wildcats a 10-1 lead.

In the sixth, Easton Paul walked, Noble doubled to move Paul to third and Owen reached on a dropped third strike. Paul raced home on the throw to first, beating the tag at the plate to give Athens the mercy rule victory.

Batting out of the No. 8 spot, Noble led the Wildcats’ 11-hit attack with a 4-for-4 performance. He added one RBI.

“Noble's a good player for us,” said Havens.

Grazul went 2-for-3 (both doubles) with two runs, Cooke was 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, Flynn was 1-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, and Hobday was 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Thetga and Owen added one hit and one run apiece, and Rowe and Wheeler scored one run each.

Owen struck out four, walked one and gave up an unearned run.

——————

PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.

Print Friendly Version