NTL BASEBALL: ATHENS QUICKLY ERASES EARLY DEFICIT IN 13-3 WIN OVER CANTON (21 PHOTOS) (May 7, 2026)

Valley Sports Report
ATHENS — Athens gave up three runs in the top of the first inning, but roared back quickly for a 13-3 five-inning win over Canton here Thursday afternoon in NTL baseball action.

The Warriors banged out three hits in the opening inning, but also took advantage of two base on balls and a key two-out error to take a 3-0 lead.

The Wildcats, however, answered quickly with three runs in the home half of the inning in a rally highlighted by a two-run single by junior Kam Wheeler.

Athens took advantage of a Canton miscue early in the third inning to put eight runs on the board, and take an 11-3 lead.

Wheeler was hit by a pitch and junior Connor Davidson walked to start the rally. Senior Karson Sipley laid down a sacrifice bunt and the throw to first sailed down the right-field line, allowing both runners to score, and Sipley to advance to third base.

Senior Eli Hobday stroked an RBI single to right field to make it 6-3. Hobday stole second, then moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a passed ball to extend the lead to 7-3.

With two outs, senior Nick Grazul re-ignited the rally with a double, and junior Brady Flynn followed with an RBI single to make it 8-3.

After a single by junior Duncan Thetga put runners on first and second, Wheeler delivered a run with a single up the middle, and Connor Davidson capped the rally with a two-RBI double.

The Wildcats plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to invoke the 10-run "mercy" rule.

Grazul led off the inning with a single, and Flynn lined a double to put runners on second and third.

After sophomore Kade Rowe walked to load the bases, sophomore Ty Owen flared an RBI single to extend the lead to 12-3.

The game ended when Connor Davidson was hit by a pitch to force home a run to make it 13-3.

Flynn had three hits, including a double, three runs scored, and one RBI to pace Athens' 13-hit attack, while Wheeler singled twice, scored two runs, stole two bases, and drove in three runs, and Grazul doubled and singled and scored three bases.

Connor Davidson doubled, scored one run, and had three RBI in the win, while Hobday and Owen each singled, scored one run, and drove in one run, Sipley and Thetga both singled and scored one run, and junior Brendan Cooke added a single.

Thetga earned the win for the Wildcats, allowing three runs — one earned — on four hits, with three strikeouts and three walks in four innings.

Cooke pitched a perfect inning of relief with one strikeout.

Athens, now 15-2, returns to action Friday when it hosts Selinsgrove in a non-league tilt.

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens junior Duncan Thetga. ... PHOTOS BY AMANDA BAILEY.

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