Valley Sports ReportATHENS — Athens opened pool play at 2-0 with wins over Canton and Towanda over the weekend in District 15 Minors Division baseball playoff action.
Athens 15, Canton 5, 5 innings
On Friday, Athens blew the game open late, scoring five runs in each of the fourth and fifth inning to post a 15-5 five-inning win over Canton in the opening game of pool play.
Athens plated four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-1 lead, but Canton tied the game with three runs in the top of the third inning.
Athens scored one run in the home half of the third inning to take a 5-4 lead, then scored five runs in the fourth inning extend the lead to 10-4.
After Canton scored a run in the top of the fifth inning, Athens ended the game via the 10-run rule with five runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Colsten Bishop led Athens at the plate with three doubles and six RBI, while Jett Raupers doubled and singled, scored two runs, and drove in two runs, Jorey Raupers doubled and singled, scored three runs, and knocked in one run, and Briley Owens singled twice, scored three runs, and knocked in one run to pace Athens' 10-hit attack.
Witten Alteri singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run in the win, while Moyer Campbell scored three runs, Hudson Glielmi scored one run, and drove in one run, and Cooper Birdsall crossed the plate once.
Jorey Raupers, Owens, and Bishop each registered three strikeouts on the mound, and Jett Raupers added two punch outs as the foursome combined on a four-hitter.
Athens 8, Towanda 2
On Sunday, Colson Bishop, Jorey Raupers and Jett Raupers combined on a no-hitter, and Athens rallied late for an 8-2 in Minors Division pool play action.
Bishop fanned eight in 2 2/3 innings, and Jorey Raupers had six strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.
Athens scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead, then added two runs in the fifth, and one more in the sixth.
Bishop was 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBI to pace Athens' five-hit attack, while Briley Owens singled, scored one run, and had two RBI, and Rocco Powers doubled and drove in one run.
Jorey Raupers, Jett Raupers, Moyer Campbell, Cooper Birdsall, and Hudson Glielmi each scored one run in the win.
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING.
