Valley Sports ReportTIOGA CENTER — Sophomore Gretchan Hiley pitched four strong innings, and Athens took control of the game in the second inning on its way to a 13-0 five-inning non-league softball win over Tioga here Thursday afternoon.
With the win, Athens improves to 7-0, while Tioga falls to 6-1.
"It's another quality win," said Athens coach Brian Wendela. "We got to see Tioga play yesterday in a doubleheader and they have a solid team.
"We got off to a slow start, but the middle and bottom of the line-up got us going early in the second inning led by Jules Pack and Savannah Finan," noted Wendela. "It was great to see the middle of the lineup attacking at the plate, and again it’s showing a strength of our team.
"With the weather causing some chaos, it feels like we play a game week to week," he said. "It’s nice to see the girls step up and perform at a high level even after a little bit of flat start.
"Defensively, we had another solid performance with no errors behind some great pitching from the Hiley sisters," added Wendela.
After a scoreless first inning, senior Jules Pack ripped a one-out RBI triple to right field to plate freshman Memphis Paul, who led off the inning with a single.
Juniors Savannah Finan and Maddie Hiley, and sophomore McKenna Jarvis added RBI singles in a five-run Wildcat rally.
Athens scored three unearned runs in the third inning to take an 8-0 lead.
The Wildcats tacked on another unearned run in the fourth to extend their lead to 9-0.
Junior Danica May laced a two-RBI single in the fifth inning as part of a four-run rally that pushed the lead to 13-0.
Gretchan Hiley earned the win with four shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk, while striking out nine. Maddie Hiley struck out two, walked one, and allowed one hit in a scoreless inning of relief.
Finan singled twice, scored three runs, and drove in one run, and Jarvis singled twice, scored one run, and knocked in one run to pace Athens' nine-hit attack, while May singled, scored three runs, and had two RBI, and Pack tripled, scored two runs, and drove in one run.
Senior Ella Coyle and Paul each singled and scored one run in the win, while Maddie Hiley singled and drove in one run, and Gretchan Hiley scored two runs.
Senior Erin Luther and junior Lilly Mezzatesta each singled to account for Tioga's two hits.
Luther was tagged with the loss. She allowed seven earned runs on nine hits, while striking out eight and walking four in five innings of work.
Athens returns to action Friday at unbeaten North Penn-Liberty in a battle for first place in the NTL Large School Division.
Tioga hosts Southern Cayuga Monday.
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IN PHOTO 1: Athens sophomore Gretchan Hiley. IN TOP PHOTO: Athens senior Jules Pack. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
