Valley Sports ReportROME — Athens scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning, and held on to win a back-and-forth, 5-4, decision over Towanda here Friday in the opening round of pool play in the District 15 Majors Division softball playoffs.
Towanda scored runs in the top of the first and second innings, but Athens answered in the home half of each inning to make it 2-2 heading into the third inning.
Athens took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning, but Towanda answered in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 3-3.
In the bottom of the fourth, Athens scored twice to take a 5-3 lead, and Towanda only mustered one run in the top of the sixth inning to provide the final margin.
Haylee Bickhart singled and drove in one run, and Brooklyn Watkins added a single to account for Athens' only hits in the game, while Sophia Barrett scored a pair of runs, Harper Liechty, Olivia Wilcox, and Khloe Butcher each scored one run, and Terrianna Orshal added one RBI.
Molly McGrath earned the win for Athens, allowing four runs — three earned — on six hits, while striking out nine and walking eight.
Athens hosts RTL Saturday in the second round of pool play.
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING.
