SECTION III LITTLE LEAGUE (MINORS): ATHENS WINS WILD 14-8 DECISION OVER BERWICK (2019-07-16)

Valley Sports Report
TREMONT, Pa. - Athens took advantage of 17 base on balls issued by Berwick pitchers, and seven errors to pull out a wild 14-8 win here Tuesday evening in the Section III Little League Minors Division baseball playoffs.

Connor Davidson swung the big lumber in the contest with three of Athens' four hits, including two doubles, three runs scored and four RBI. The only other hit was a two-RBI single by Duncan Thetga, who also walked four times and scored one run.

Berwick scored twice in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead, but Athens countered with 10 unanswered runs over the next 2 1/2 innings to take a commanding lead.

Davidson led off the top of the third inning with a single, but was wiped off the bases on a fielder's choice off the bat of Eli Hicks. Two walks, an error, and four wild pitches later, Athens led 4-2.

In the top of the fourth inning, Kamdyn Wheeler was hit by a pitch to lead off the bases, but was erased from the base paths on a fielder's choice off the bat of Sam Cheresnowsky. Davidson then belted an RBI double to plate Cheresnowsky for a 5-3 lead.

Davidson, who took third on the throw home, scored moments later on an error to make it 6-2.

Three walks and a Berwick error extended the Athens lead to 8-2 in the fifth inning, then another re-loaded the bases, and Thetga stroked a two-RBI single to make it 10-2.

Berwick scored in the home half of the fifth to trim the deficit to 10-3, but four walks, three errors, an RBI double by Davidson, and an RBI groundout by Cartyr Cockcroft gave Athens a 14-3 advantage heading to the bottom of the sixth.

Berwick rapped out four of its nine hits in the home half of the sixth, and took advantage of three walks and one error to plate five runs, but Athens reliever Graham Wanck recorded a strikeout to end the game.

Wheeler, Hicks, and Cheresnowsky each scored two runs for Athens, while Alex McQuay scored one run, and drove in one run, Brycen Wood, Wanck, and Lucas Schultz each scored one run, and Cockcroft drove in one run.

Thetga started, and earned the win, allowing a pair of unearned runs on three hits, while striking out three and walking two in 3 2/3 innings of work.

Athens returns to action Wednesday in the winner's bracket finals.