BY TIM TAYLORValley Sports Report
ATHENS — Athens and Wellsboro combined for three hits in a rain-shortened NTL defensive battle which the Wildcats won, 2-0, here Thursday.
The victory, the Wildcats’ second in as many games this season, was highlighted by the one-hit, 14-strikeout effort of pitcher Gretchen Hiley.
“Gretchen does her thing,” said coach Brian Wendela. “She comes in, she always flips the switch, and she's always ready to have her team's back and we rely on her heavily, obviously. It's a pitcher's game and we're glad to have her on our side, for sure.”
Hornets lead-off hitter Rylee Coolidge crushed a long fly ball to left field to open the game, but Abby Delosa managed to run it down for the out. Ady Frantz followed with Wellsboro’s lone hit when she delivered a one-out single to center field.
Frantz would work her way over to third, but Hiley struck out the side to get out of trouble.
The Wildcats’ Madalyn Hiley drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the first and moved to second on a passed ball, but Frantz fanned the next two batters to end the inning.
Neither team could reach base until Gretchen Hiley drew a two-out walk in the third. With a full count against her, Madalyn Hiley belted an RBI double to center and McKenna Jarvis followed with a run-scoring triple to left, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 advantage.
The Wildcats’ bats were a little quieter than Wendela had hoped.
“I'll take a little bit of the blame for that,” he said. “I think we've been losing a little bit of focus at practice where we should be dialed in and giving a little more effort in our reps. I think that reflects on what happens on the field.
“Credit to their pitcher. She had a nice fastball and changeup.
“I don't like excuses, but iIt's early in the season, we haven't been outside, so that stuff matters too. I don't doubt that we'll figure it out and get good at-bats, and we'll start putting some runs up. We did on Saturday, so it's just about being out there and being focused and taking everything, every approach, at a high energy and figuring it out.”
Jarvis would be the final base runner of the day as lightning halted play with one away in the top of the sixth. A heavy downpour followed a few minutes later, forcing the game to be called.
Frantz struck out nine Athens batters while twirling a two-hitter. She walked two.
Hiley fanned eight consecutive batters early in the contest and had fanned another six in a row when the game was called. She did not allow any walks.
Athens (2-0) hosts Wyalusing on Tuesday. The Rams return nine upperclassmen, including Addyson Bly, a .448 hitter who logged 30 hits, 20 runs and 11 RBI last year.
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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
