Valley Sports ReportCORTLAND — Tioga rally from an early five run deficit came up just short Monday afternoon in an 8-6 loss to Marathon in IAC crossover baseball action here at the Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex.
The Olympians scored one run in the home half of the first inning, and four more in the third inning to take a 5-0 advantage.
The Tigers got on the board in the top of the fifth on a lead-off walk to Maison Fisher, a single up the middle by Anthony Powell, and an RBI single to center field by Brayden Lounsbury.
With one out, Cooper Dember plated a run with a fielder's choice groundout to make it 5-2.
Tioga trimmed the deficit further in the six inning.
After Jaxon Bidwell worked a one-out walk, Fisher was hit by a pitch, and Anthony Powell followed with an RBI single to make it 5-3.
Lounsbury sacrifice fly scored Powell to close the gap to 5-4.
Marathon, however, took advantage of three walks and a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth inning to push its lead to 6-4, then got a two-out two-RBI single from Trabucco to make it 8-4.
Tioga kept the pressure on in the top of the seventh inning.
Dember was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Jacob Guiles stroked a one-out single.
With runners on second and third and two outs, Bidwell stroked a 2-2 pitch to left field for a two-RBI single to cut the deficit to 8-6, but the next batter struck out to end the game.
Powell singled twice, scored one runs and drove in one run to pace Tioga's seven-hit attack, while Bidwell singled, scored one run, and drove in two runs, and Lounsbury singled and knocked in two runs.
Brendan Clark singled and scored one run for the Tigers, while Josh Rought and Guiles each singled, Fisher scored two runs, Dember drove in one run, and Cam Ross crossed the plate once.
Dember was tagged with the loss, allowing five runs — all unearned — on three hits, while striking out six and walking three in 3 2/3 innings.
Ross allowed three runs — two earned — on two hits and six walked in 2 1/3 innings. He fanned three.
Tioga, now 0-2, returns to action Wednesday when it hosts Union Springs.
