Valley Sports ReportSUSQUEHANNA — Susquehanna County East scored a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to pull out an 8-7 win over Athens here Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the District 15 Majors Division baseball playoffs.
Athens jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Carson Rowe led off the game with a single and scored on an RBI double by Nick Grazul, who advanced to third base on the throw home, and scored on an RBI grounder by Troy Rosenbloom.
Susco East answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game.
Eli Hobday led off the Athens third inning with a single, and moved to second on a walk to Rowe. Grazul roped a line-drive RBI single to center field to give Athens a 3-2 lead.
After Rosenbloom was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Dylan Saxon was hit by a pitch to give Athens a 4-2 lead.
With two outs, Riley Campbell ripped a two-RBI single up the middle to cap the rally and give Athens a 6-2 lead.
Susco East answered immediately with three runs in the bottom of the third inning to trim the deficit to 6-5, then scored two more runs in the fourth to take a 7-6 lead.
Athens tied the game in the fifth on an RBI single by Saxon, but Susco East again responded with a run to take an 8-7 lead into the sixth inning.
Eli Chapman worked a one-out walk in the top of the sixth, and Rowe walked with two outs. but they were stranded at first and second.
Grazul doubled and singled, scored two runs, and drove in two runs to lead Athens at the plate, while Rowe singled and scored two runs, Saxon and Campbell each singled and drove in two runs, Hobday singled and scored one run, and Rosenbloom scored one run and drove in one.
Athens will play Susquehanna Area Saturday at 3 p.m.
