Valley Sports ReportTIOGA JUNCTION, Pa. — Williamson built an early 6-0 lead, then fended off a late Sayre rally in a 7-4 win here Thursday afternoon in NTL Small School baseball action.
Junior Shaine Strickland doubled to lead off the game for the Redskins, and sophomore Brayden Northrop and senior Jackson Varner each worked walks to load the bases, but they were all stranded as the next three Redskins fanned.
The Warriors took a 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the home half of the first inning.
Sophomore Riley McGaughey rapped a one-out double in the top of the second, and Strickland drew a two-out walk, but they were stranded at first and second.
Williamson scored two runs on one hit in the bottom of the second, thanks to three base on balls and a hit batsman.
The Warriors added three more runs in the third inning to extend the lead to 6-0. The rally featured three more base on balls and a passed ball.
All of Sayre's runs came with two outs in the fifth inning.
With one out, Varner worked a walk. With two outs Varner took second on a passed ball and then scored on an error off the bat of freshman Blake Zingeser.
After junior Declan Barry reached base on a dropped third strike, senior Kyshon Kole ripped a two-RBI double, then scored on an RBI double by McGaughey to close the gap to 6-4.
Williamson added an insurance run in the home half of the inning on two walks and two passes balls.
The Redskins had an opportunity to close the gap in the sixth inning, with a batter reaching on an error and Williamson pitchers issuing three walks, but a caught stealing stopped the rally in its tracks.
Sayre also had two batters hit by pitches in the seventh inning, but the game ended with an out on the base paths.
McGaughey doubled twice and drove in one run, and Kole doubled and had two RBI to pace Sayre's five-hit attack.
Varner singled and scored for the Redskins, and Strickland doubled, while Blake Zingeser and Barry each scored one run.
Senior Logan Zingeser was tagged with the loss, allowing six runs — four earned — on four hits and five walks. He struck out one.
Blake Zingeser relieved, and allowed one unearned run on 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief, with five walks and three strikeouts.
Strickland allowed one hit and fanned three in two shutout innings of relief.
Sayre, now 1-2, hosts Cowanesque Valley Tuesday.
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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM.
