Athens survives wild barnburner in 11-10 victory over Gallia Academy

THE PLAINS - Athens softball wasted little time making the beginning to a highly-anticipated season a memorable one. Fending off seven runs over the final three innings, the Bulldogs were able to do just enough at the end to cling on to an 11-10 victory over Gallia Academy in a barnburner at home on Wednesday afternoon.

Rylee Toadvine would lead the offensive attack in an impressive outing for the junior shortstop. Toadvine would finish with a 2-3 line at the plate, grabbing three RBIs while scoring three runs and drawing a walk. Fern Sigman would go 2-2 at the plate with four RBIs while Kayla Hammonds also grabbed a pair of hits while scoring four runs.

Kendra Hammonds would finish 1-2 at the plate with three runs scored, two walks and a run driven in. Khyla Brannon would also score a run and draw a walk in the win.

In the circle, Kendra Hammonds got the nod to start the opener. The senior would go all seven innings, allowing 11 hits and seven earned runs, striking out seven while allowing six walks.

For the Blue Angels, Ava Angel would oddly enough lead the offensive attack, going 3-4 out of the three hole with three RBIs and runs scored while also drawing a walk. Cheyenne Waugh would finish with a 2-4 line at the plate with an RBI while Colbie Nida, Emma Hammonds, Taylor Mathie, Reagan Skidmore, Braylee Fellure and Sarah Thomas all finished with one hit respectively.

In the circle, Mathie would get the start and last five innings, allowing eight earned runs on six hits, striking out seven while walking six. Nida would then pitch the final inning, allowing two unearned runs on one hit, walking a pair while striking out one.

Gallia Academy would make noise early in this one. Following a leadoff walk, Angel would bring home Nida with an RBI double off the center field fence to bring in the first run of the afternoon. Skidmore would then later drill a run-scoring single up the middle to add another run. The Blue Angels would load the bases up shortly after but Athens would stop the bleeding before heading up to bat for the first time.

In the bottom of the first, Athens would get a pair of runners in scoring position before Toadvine drilled a two-run double that one-hopped the center field fence to tie things up. Sigman would then give Athens a lead with a sacrifice fly before Brannon came in to score on a wild pitch to make it a 4-2 game after one inning of play.

Gallia Academy would get one run across home plate in the second with a single down the third base line but the Bulldogs would quickly bounce back.

In the bottom of the third, Kayla Hammonds would get on base with a double before Toadvine ripped her second RBI double of the game to get one back. Shortly after, Sigman would line a single through the middle of the infield to make it a 6-3 game after three innings.

It would be a relatively quiet fourth inning before the Blue Angles continued the comeback effort in the fifth. After a single from Angel, Mathie would bring the runner in with a double to center field to cut the lead down to two. Two consecutive errors and a fielder’s choice later and the game was suddenly tied at six apiece going into the bottom of the fifth.

Kayla Hammonds would start the frame with a walk just before Kendra brought her sister in with a single to regain the lead. Sigman would then grab her second RBI hit of the day with a double to center field, scoring Kendra Hammonds and Toadvine to make it a 9-6 game going into the sixth.

Just like the rest of the afternoon though, Gallia Academy was going to go down swinging. After one run scored on a wild pitch, consecutive RBI singles from Fellure and Waugh would once again tie the game up, this time at nine apiece.

After a double from Kayla Hammonds followed by a walk from Kendra, a two-out error from Gallia Academy would allow both runners to score to make it a 11-9 game heading into the seventh.

In the final frame, it looked as if the Blue Angels were ready for another comeback effort. After a walk and two consecutive errors, Athens was clinging on to a one-run lead with two runners on base and only one out. The Bulldogs though would come up with a massive double play to end the afternoon, securing an opening day victory.