Valley Sports ReportATHENS — Canton held off a late rally to hand Athens a season-ending 9-6 loss here Tuesday afternoon in NTL baseball action.
The Wildcats scored a run in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1, then scored two runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead.
The Warriors bounced back in the top of the third inning, taking advantage of two batter reaching on dropped third strikes, and three Athens errors to plate six runs, and take a 7-3 lead.
Athens chipped away at the lead, scoring a run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by freshman Connor Davidson to trim the deficit to 7-4.
The Wildcats closed the gap to 7-5 in the top of the sixth with an unearned run, then Davidson delivered an RBI single to pull them within a run, at 7-6, but Canton’s Zach Colton pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam to preserve the one-run lead.
Canton scored two insurance runs in the top of the seventh on wild pitches to take a 9-6 lead.
Junior Troy Rosenbloom was hit by a pitch with one out in the home half of the inning, but he was the only Athens batter to reach base.
Davidson singled twice, scored one run, and had three RBI to pace Athens at the plate, while Rosenbloom singled, scored two runs, and stole two bases, and senior Connor Mosher singled and drove in one run.
Sophomores Cooper Robinson and Eli Chapman each singled, and scored one run for the Wildcats, and senior Nicholas Jacob added a single.
Grazul was tagged with the loss, allowing seven runs — all unearned — on six hits, while striking out five and walking three in 4 2/3 innings.
Freshman Duncan Thetga allowed two runs on two hits, and four walks in two innings of relief, and Davidson struck out the only batter he faced.
Athens finishes up the 2024 campaign at 8-12.
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IN PHOTO: Athens freshman Connor Davidson. … VSR STOCK PHOTO.
