Valley Sports ReportATHENS — Athens jumped out to a big lead early, then held off a Southern Tioga-Brant rally on its way to a 9-5 win here Thursday night in the semifinals of the District 15 Little League Juniors Division baseball playoffs.
Athens, which beat ST-Brant 9-2 Tuesday, scored three runs in the first inning, one in the second and two more in the third to take a 6-0 lead.
ST-Brant, playing as the home team, closed the gap to 6-4 with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Athens answered with three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 9-4 lead.
A trio of Athens errors led to all five runs in the game being unearned.
Wes Alderfer started on the mound for Athens, striking out four and walking one in two innings of one-hit ball.
Evan Westerfield followed and allowed four unearned runs on two hits, with one strikeout and one walk in two innings of relief.
Anthony Johnson earned the win, allowing one unearned run, while striking out two and walking one in 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief.
Cooper Hugo closed out the game, retiring all four batters he faced, with two strikeouts.
Athens banged out 15 hits in the win, with Anthony Johnson's three hits, three runs scored, and one RBI leading the way.
Westerfield singled twice, scored one run, and drove in three runs in the win, while Emmitt Kingsley doubled and singled, scored one run, and knocked in one run, and Elijah Delancey added a pair of singles.
Cooper Hugo doubled and scored two runs for Athens, while Parker Smith singled and drove in one run, Brad Shores, Graham Campbell, Trenton Lynch, and Alderfer each singled, and Kenson Hugo and Cam Johnson each crossed the plate once.
Athens will host Southern Tioga-Breon in the winner's bracket finals Saturday at 3 p.m.
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PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
