Valley Sports ReportATHENS — Sophomore Gretchan Hiley pitched out of trouble on several occasions, helping Athens to a 5-1 win over Wellsboro in NTL Large School Division softball action here on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.
Gretchan Hiley, who gave up a solo home run to Ady Frantz in the top of the first inning, allowed six hits and walked four, but used 15 strikeouts to avoid further damage.
For Gretchan Hiley, the appearance was her first in relief this season as senior Savannah Persun, who suffered a knee injury at the end of the soccer season and missed the softball season, threw the first pitch of the game — a strike no less.
The Wildcats took advantage of the Hornets' only error of the game to score three unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Gretchan Hiley and junior Maddie Hiley opened the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners at first and third. After Maddie Hiley took second via defensive indifference, a throwing error plated Gretchan Hiley tie the game at 1-1.
With two outs, back-to-back wild pitches plated Maddie Hiley and sophomore McKenna Jarvis, who reached on the throwing error, to give Athens a 3-1 lead.
In the fifth inning, junior Danica May singled and senior Gretchen Schmieg reached on a walk. May scored after a pair of wild pitches, and Schmieg scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Gretchan Hiley to make it 5-1.
Gretchan Hiley allowed just the solo home run through the first three innings, but the Hornets stroked two singles in the fourth only to see the inning end on a strikeout.
Wellsboro worked three walks in the fifth inning, but a double play took the steam out of the inning, and the Hornets stranded runners on first and second.
In the sixth, Wellsboro worked a lead-off walk and got a one-out single, but Hiley struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
The seventh inning was much the same with a pair of Wellsboro singles, but Hiley again struck out the final two batters of the inning.
In all, Wellsboro left eight runners on base, including four in scoring position.
Maddie Hiley and May each singled twice and scored one run to pace Athens at the plate, while Gretchan Hiley and Jarvis each singled, scored one run, and had one RBI, and Schmieg crossed the plate once.
Athens, now 17-1, returns to action Wednesday at Canton.
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IN PHOTO 1: Athens senior Savannah Persun. ... PHOTOS BY B. LEA PHOTOGRAPHY.
