Valley Sports ReportMANSFIELD — Athens scored early, often, and in every inning in a 19-7 rout of North Penn-Mansfield here Tuesday in NTL Large School Division action.
The Wildcats, now 11-2, edged NP-Mansfield, 4-3, at home just 10 days ago.
Athens took advantage of five base on balls in the first inning, and a key Mansfield error to plate four runs.
The Tigers answered in the home half with one run to close the gap to 4-1, but an RBI single by junior Kam Wheeler in the top of the second pushed the lead back to four runs, at 5-1.
The Wildcats scored five more runs in the third inning, four coming with two outs, to extend their lead to 10-1.
They took advantage of three hit batters and three base on balls in the rally, and Wheeler and junior Brady Flynn each plated runs with run-scoring singles.
Athens scored seven runs in the fourth inning to push the lead to 17-1. Thetga and junior Alex McQuay each knocked in runs with RBI singles.
The Tigers scored four times in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to four Athens errors to close the gap to 17-5, but the Wildcats answered with two runs in the top of the fifth inning.
Wheeler singled twice, scored four runs, and had two RBI, while Thetga singled twice, scored three times, and drove in two runs, and McQuay singled twice, scored one run, and knocked in two runs to pace Athens' 11-hit attack.
Flynn singled twice, scored three runs, and drove in one run, and Grazul singled twice and scored twice, while junior Brendan Cooke singled and scored three runs, Easton Paul scored two runs and drove in one run, senior Eli Hobday scored one run and knocked in one run, and junior Connor Davidson, senior Karson Sipley, freshman Shea Davidson, and Ty Owen each crossed the plate once.
Wheeler earned the win for the Wildcats, allowing seven runs — all unearned due to six Wildcat miscues — on five hits in five innings. He fanned four and walked one.
Athens returns to action Thursday when it hosts Cowanesque Valley.
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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM.
