Valley Sports ReportWELLSBORO — Athens plated 10 runs in the top of the fourth inning to blow open a one-run game on its way to a 16-10 slugfest win here Monday afternoon in NTL baseball action.
Wellsboro drew first blood with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run home run by Marek Mascho, but took the lead for good with four runs in the top of the second inning.
Junior Eli Hobday led off the top of the second inning with a single, and sophomore Brady Flynn followed with a double. After senior Dylan Saxon drew a walk to load the bases, junior Karson Sipley singled into center field to close the gap to 2-1.
With one out, senior Troy Rosenbloom and sophomore Connor Davidson stroked back-to-back RBI singles to give the Wildcats a 3-2 lead. Cooke capped the rally with an RBI fielder's choice.
Athens tacked on an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead, but the Hornets answered with two runs in the home half to trim the deficit to 5-4.
Cooke blasted a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning, and trigger the 10-run onslaught. The rally featured a two-run double by Hobday, RBI singles by Saxon, Grazul, Rosenbloom, and culminated with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Saxon to make it 15-4.
The Hornets scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 15-8.
After leaving the bases loaded in the fifth, Athens plated one run in the sixth on a two-out, bases-loaded RBI single by Davidson to make it 16-8.
Wellsboro scored a pair of runs without the benefit of a hit in the sixth inning, but reliever Duncan Thetga racked up a strikeout to end the game.
Cooke had three hits, including a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI, and Hobday doubled and singled, stole two bases, scored two runs and drove in three runs to pace Athens' 13-hit attack, while Rosenbloom singled twice, scored one run, and knocked in two runs, and Davidson singled twice and had two RBI.
Flynn doubled, scored two runs, and drove in two runs in the win, while Saxon singled, scored two runs, and knocked in two run, Sipley singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run, junior Nick Grazul singled, scored one run, and knocked in one run, junior Eli Chapman scored two runs, and senior Noah Hobday crossed the plate once.
Rosenbloom earned the win, allowing two unearned runs on one hit and two walks in 1 1/3 innings of relief, and Thetga closed out the game by retiring both batters he faced.
Athens, now 2-0, returns to action Wednesday at Wyalusing.
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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM.
