ATHENS HOLDS OFF TROY, 14-9

ATHENS HOLDS OFF TROY, 14-9

April 8, 2021 Tim Birney

ATHENS — Athens raced out to a 13-1 lead, thanks in large part to a nine-run third inning, then held on for a 14-9 win over Troy here Thursday afternoon in NTL Large School baseball action.

Troy struck first, scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Caleb Binford led off the game with a single, and later scored on a dropped third strike with two outs that allowed Jake Dietrick to reach base.

The Wildcats answered immediately. Junior Karter Rude singled to lead off the home half of the first inning, and sophomore Jaren Glisson followed with a walk. With one out, sophomore Mason Lister ripped a two-run double to left field to put Athens ahead 2-1.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, senior Ben Vough scampered home on a dropped third strike that allowed Glisson.

Sophomore Lucas Kraft and senior Kyler Setzer led off the home half of the third inning with singles, and junior Kaden Setzer stroked a line-drive RBI single to left field to make it 4-1.

A pair of walks, sandwiched around a wild pitch, gave Athens a 5-1 lead. With one out, Glisson stroked a two-run single up the middle to extend the lead to 7-1, and sophomore Cameron Sullivan followed three pitches later with a two-RBI single to left field.

The Wildcats added runs on a fielder’s choice grounder of the bat of Kyler Setzer, and RBI single by Kaden Setzer, and a passed ball to extend the lead to 12-1 after three innings.

Sullivan, the Athens starter, pitched around a double in the fourth inning, and junior Tucker Brown stroked an RBI single to score Rude, who led off the inning with a single, to make it 13-1.

Sullivan retired the first two batters in the top of the fifth, and was one out away from ending the game via the 10-run “mercy” rule, but the Trojans’ offense roared to life and scored five runs on five consecutive hits and an error.

Sullivan retired the side in order in the sixth, and the first batter in the seventh inning, but Troy put together three straight hits, and Rude was brought on in relief.

A pair of walks and a wild pitch brought home two Trojan runners in the top of the seventh inning, but Rude induced a groundball to Cameron, who moved from the mound to shortstop, to end the game.

Sullivan had two hits, two runs scored, and two RBI, and Rude had two hits, two runs scored, and four stolen bases to lead the Wildcats’ 12-hit attack, while Lister doubled and singled, scored one ru, and drove in two runs, and Kaden Setzer singled twice, scored one run, and had two RBI.

Glisson and Kyler Setzer each singled, scored two runs, and drove in two runs in the win, while Brown singled and drove in one run, Kraft singled and scored one run, and Vough and senior Tanner Dildine each crossed the plate once.

Sullivan earned his first varsity win, allowing eight runs — seven earned — on 11 hits, while striking out three and walking none. Rude walked two and allowed an unearned run in two-thirds of an inning on the mound.

Morgan Madigan had three hits, including a pair of doubles, two runs scored, and three RBI to lead the Trojans at the plate.

Athens, now 4-2, returns to action Monday at Wellsboro.

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ATHENS PUTS IT TOGETHER IN 8-1 WIN OVER TOWANDA

ATHENS PUTS IT TOGETHER IN 8-1 WIN OVER TOWANDA

April 7, 2021 Chris Manning

ATHENS — It’s been an up-and-down start to 2021 for the Athens baseball team, but in its 8-1 win over Towanda on Wednesday, coach Charlie Havens believes things are starting to come together.

“That was by far the best game we’ve played,” he said. “No errors today. You get behind (Mason) Lister with what he was doing today, it made it easy on us.”

Lister went 6 1/3-innings for the win, striking out 10 while allowing four walks, one hit and one earned run. Karter Rude came on for the final two-thirds, striking out one with one walk and a hit.

“He did a lot of work today,” Havens said about Lister, who also had a few putouts from the mound. “And when he’s on the mound, we just have a little bit different energy. We just came to play today.”

Six players had the seven hits for Athens, as Kaden Setzer (2-for-2) with two RBI, and a run scored led the way. Rude (1-for-2), Ben Vough (1-for-2), Cameron Sullivan (1-for-3), Lister (1-for-3) and Kyler Setzer (1-for-2) also had hits.

Rude also had a double with two RBI and a run scored, and Sullivan had a run scored and an RBI. Vough, Lister, Jaren Peterson and Kyler Setzer all scored runs. Lucas Kraft scored a run and knocked one in for Athens as well.

Mason Johnson (1-for-3) and Aaron Bardell (1-for-3) had the two Towanda hits. Bardell had an RBI, and Austin Fowler scored their run.

Octavious Chacona started and went four innings and was tagged with the loss. He struck out seven while allowing two walks, five hits and six runs, four of which were earned.

Ethan Sparrow finished, striking out two with one walk, two hits and two unearned runs.

Nobody scored until the bottom of the second. Lister led off with a single, and Kyler Setzer had a two-out single, followed by a Kaden Setzer, which scored Lister and Kyler Setzer to make it 2-0.

Two batters later, Rude doubled in Kaden Setzer and Peterson for a 4-0 lead.

Towanda would threaten in the top fourth, getting two runners in scoring position with one out, but Lister got a strikeout, then a put out to end the threat.

Athens scored four more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Rude led off with a walk. Vough then singled, advancing Rude to third base.

Rude would score on a Sullivan single for a 5-0 lead. Two batters later, an error off the bat of Kraft scored Vough and Sullivan to make it 7-0.

Three batters later, a two-out double from Kaden Setzter scored Kraft for the 8-0 advantage.

The Knights would get a run in the seventh as Chase Parker walked to lead off the at bat. Three batters later a two-out Bardell singled in Fowler, who was running for Parker, to make it an 8-1 final.

Havens hopes this brings some stability to the team as the Wildcats have had an uneven start to the season.

“We need to keep focusing on our defensive game,” he said. “We need to know what to do with the ball when it’s hit to us. We’ve got a lot to learn, and I think that’s the biggest thing. When we’re consistent defensively we’ll be pretty tough.”

Athens, now 3-2 overall and 2-0 in NTL Large School play, hosts Troy Thursday.

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ATHENS WIN SLUGFEST AT COW. VALLEY, 18-10

ATHENS WIN SLUGFEST AT COW. VALLEY, 18-10

April 5, 2021 Tim Birney

WESTFIELD, Pa. — Sophomores Lucas Kraft and Jaren Glisson, and senior Kyler Setzer combined for 11 hits and 11 RBI to lead Athens to an 18-10 win over Cowanesque Valley here Monday afternoon in NTL baseball action.

There were a lot of offensive fireworks in the early innings.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Indians answered with seven runs in the home half of the second inning, but Athens answered with seven runs in the top of the third to take a 10-7 lead.

Leading 11-8, Athens pushed five runs across the plate in the top of the sixth inning to take a commanding 16-8 lead.

Sophomore Lucas Kraft had four hits, including a double, two runs scored, and six RBI, and sophomore Jaren Glisson stroked four singles, scored two runs, and knocked in one run to pace Athens’ 18-hit attack, and senior Kyler Setzer had three hits, including two doubles, two stolen bases, and four RBI.

Junior Karter Rude banged out a pair of doubles, scored two runs, and drove in one run in the win, while sophomore Cameron Sullivan singled twice, scored one run, and knocked in two runs, Dylan Merritt singled and scored two runs, junior Tucker Brown singled and scored one run, junior Kaden Setzer singled and drove in one run, and sophomore Mason Lister scored three runs.

Kraft earned the win in relief. He allowed three runs on three hits, while striking out five and walking five in 5 1/3 innings.

McGuire Painter and Tucker St. Pierre had two hits and three RBI apiece to lead CV at the plate.

Athens, now 2-2, hosts Towanda Tuesday.

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EARLY OUTBURST PROPELS SAYRE TO 16-1 WIN OVER ATHENS

EARLY OUTBURST PROPELS SAYRE TO 16-1 WIN OVER ATHENS

April 3, 2021 Tim Birney

ATHENS — After having three games postponed over the last eight days, Sayre finally got on the field for its 2021 season-opener, and wasted little time in finding its stride, scoring eight first-inning runs on the way to a 16-1 four-inning win over Athens in NTL baseball action.

“We played pretty good for our first game, but it's only one game and got some cleaning up to do,” said Sayre coach Jamie VanDuzer. “I’m very thankful we were able to finally play a game.”

Senior Jake Burgess reached base on an error to lead off the game, and scored on a one-out RBI double by sophomore Lucas Horton in his first varsity at-bat.

Lucas Horton scored an RBI single by junior David Northrup to make it 2-0. After a single by senior Zach Moore, back-to-back walks to sophomore Zach Garrity and junior Kannon VanDuzer to force home a run.

Junior Mason Houseknecht delivered a two-run single to make it 5-0, and junior Brady Horton capped the rally with a two-RBI double. In between, the Redskins plated a run on an error.

“We had some very good at bats,” said VanDuzer. “We didn't chase many pitches.

“We also got some help,” added VanDuzer. “They gave a couple extra outs early in the game.”

Sayre upped its lead to 9-0 with an unearned run in the top of the second inning.

Athens answered with its only run in the bottom of the second. Sophomore Mason Lister worked a lead-off walk, and scored on singles by sophomore Lucas Kraft, and senior Kyler Setzer.

The Redskins added five runs in the third inning, the first two coming on an error, and the last three on a three-run home run by VanDuzer to make it 14-1.

Sayre tacked on two more in the top of the fourth — the first on an error, and the second on a balk.

Northrup earned the win for the Redskins. He allowed one run on two hits, while striking out six and walking two. Moore pitched a perfect inning of relief.

“David Northrup pitched well and was ahead in counts from the get-go,” said VanDuzer.

Lucas Horton doubled twice, scored three runs, and drove in one run, while Moore singled twice and scored two runs, and VanDuzer homered, scored two runs, and had four RBI to lead Sayre’s nine-hit attack.

Burgess singled and scored three runs in the win, while Northrup singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run Brayden Horton doubled, scored one run, and drove in two runs, Houseknecht singled, scored one run, and had two RBI, and Garrity scored two runs.

Setzer singled and drove in one run, and Kraft singled to account for Athens’ two hits.

Sayre returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Canton in a key early-season NTL Small School Division showdown, while Athens, now 1-2, travels to Cowanesque Valley Monday.

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CANTON HOLDS OFF ATHENS, 4-2, IN SEASON-OPENER

CANTON HOLDS OFF ATHENS, 4-2, IN SEASON-OPENER

March 26, 2021 Tim Birney

CANTON — Canton took an early lead with three unearned runs in the home half of the third inning on its way to a season-opening, 4-2, win over Athens here Friday afternoon in NTL baseball action.

After a two-out error kept the inning alive, Weston Bellows walked, and Joel Schoonover ripped a two-RBI double into left field to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead. Carter Route capped capped the rally with a run-scoring single to left field.

The Wildcats responded quickly with a run in the top of the fourth inning, but it could have been a much bigger rally.

Sophomore Lucas Kraft stroked a lead-off single to right field, and junior Tucker Brown and senior Dylan Merritt followed with walks to load the bases. Sophomore Gage Warner knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to trim the Wildcat deficit to 3-1.

With two outs, junior Karter Rude walked to re-load the bases, but Canton’s Cooper Kitchen pitcher registered his second strike out of the inning to end the threat.

Canton added a run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by Hudson Ward to make it 4-1.

Athens took advantage of four walks in the top of the fifth inning to score one run, but Bellows, on in relief, registered a strikeout to end the bases-loaded jam.

The Warriors loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, but sophomore Mason Lister, on in relief, used a strikeout and an infield pop out to escape the threat unscathed.

In the top of the seventh, Lister was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Kraft followed with a single that sent Lister to third base, and Brown reached on a bunt single to load the bases.

Schoonover enter in relief for the Warriors and struck out the first two batters he faced. The game ended with a play at the plate on a ball that squirted away from the Canton catcher.

The Wildcats, who left 12 runners on base, outhit the Warriors 6-3 in the game.

Kraft led Athens with two hits, while sophomore Cam Sullivan singled and scored one run, and sophomore Jaren Glisson, Brown, and Merritt each added a single. Warner and junior Jared Peterson each had one RBI, and Kaden Setzer scored one run.

Kraft was tagged with the tough-luck loss in his first varsity start. He allowed four runs — one earned — on two hits, while striking out two and walking four in three innings of work.

Lister fanned seven and walked two in three innings of one-hit relief.

Athens returns to action Thursday at Cowanesque Valley.

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