Valley Sports ReportSOUTH WILLIAMSPORT — Athens scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to take the lead, then turned a pivotal double play in the home half of the inning to preserve a 7-5 win over Montoursville here Tuesday night in the opening round of the Section 3 Majors Division softball playoffs.
After Athens scored a run in the top of the first inning, Montoursville answered with four runs on one hit in the home half of the inning.
Athens chipped away at the deficit with single runs in the third and fifth innings to close the gap to 4-3.
In the top of the sixth inning, Kendall Butcher led off with a bunt single. With two outs, Sadie Wanck reached on an error, then Terriana Orshal singled to load the bases.
Lindsay Ahern delivered the big hit with a line-drive two-RBI double to left field to give Athens a 5-4 lead. Another error plated two more runs as Athens extended the lead to 7-4.
Montoursville's first two batters reached in the bottom of the sixth — the first on an error, and the second on a hit by pitch, but a double play limited the damage to just one run as Athens preserved the win.
Molly Grath earned the win, allowing five runs on one hit and five walks in six innings. She fanned 10.
Ahern was 3-for-3 with a double, one run scored, and one RBI, and Orshal had two hits, one run scored, and one RBI to pace Athens' 12-hit attack.
Haylee Bickhart doubled and singled and drove in one run, and Hadley Liechty singled twice and scored one run in the win, while Kendall Butcher singled twice and scored two runs.
McGrath singled and scored one run for Athens, while Wanck scored one run, and Sophia Barrett had one RBI.
Athens will square off with Selinsgrove in the winner's bracket finals Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
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PHOTOS BY BRETT CROSSLEY.
