THE PLAINS — Scoring every inning on Friday afternoon, Athens completed the season sweep over Nelsonville-York on back-to-back days, outscoring the Buckeyes (0-11, 0-7 Tri-Valley Conference-Ohio) 35-10 over the two days. Taking advantage of three errors from Nelsonville-York and only needing eight hits to rack up 17 runs, the Bulldogs (9-4, 4-2 TVC-Ohio) secured a 17-7 victory at home in five innings.
Celebrating senior day, Athens’ three seniors each had an immense impact on the win. Kayla and Kendra Hammonds would have their usual monster performances at the plate, grabbing three and two hits respectively as the sisters combined for six RBIs and five runs scored. The two would each smack a home run as well. Annabella Gallagher would also add a pair of RBIs and reach base three times in the win.
Ellie Beck-Aden would finish with a pair of hits and three runs scored while Chloe Hewitt pitched in an RBI and two runs scored on one hit.
Kendra Hammonds would get the win in the circle, pitching the first 4.1 innings while allowing six earned runs on eight hits, striking out six while allowing six walks. Fern Sigman would finish off the final two outs in clean fashion to help secure the abbreviated victory.
Despite ultimately falling in five innings, Nelsonville-York had one of its better offensive outputs of the season on Friday. Led by multi-hit games from Trinity Shockey, Emmie Fowler and Alexis Freer, the Buckeyes would rack up nine hits in total to accrue the seven runs. Shockey and Fowler would each add a pair of RBIs and a run scored while Freer drove one in herself.
Peyton Salder, Kyleigh Warren and Ava Nungester would all record a hit as well for the Buckeyes.
Getting the first two runners of the game on base, Nelsonville-York would actually jump out in front with a pair of runs in the top of the first. An error from Hewitt off the bat of Fowler would give the Buckeyes the 2-0 advantage.
The lead wouldn’t last long though, two batters to be exact.
After Beck-Aden was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first, Kayla Hammonds would step up and drill a two-run shot over the left field fence to tie things up. A few batters later, Hewitt would rip a run-scoring single into center field with the bases loaded to open up a 5-2 lead for Athens.
The rout would just continue from there. Leading off the second, Kayla Hammonds would rip a hit into right field but an error from the fielder allowed the senior to run all around the bases for yet another run. One batter later, Kendra Hammonds would then rip a solo home run over the left field fence.
The Bulldogs would end up scoring six more in the frame coming from a mix of wild pitches, bases loaded walks and hit by pitches, opening up a 13-2 lead going into the third inning.
The Buckeyes would load the bases in the frame before an RBI single from Warren brought in the only run of the frame to make it a 10-run game. Athens would then keep the barrage coming in the bottom of the frame, grabbing a pair more runs on a fielder’s choice groundout and a passed ball that allowed Hewitt to scamper home. Add in a bases-loaded walk in the following frame and the Bulldogs suddenly held a 16-3 advantage going into the fifth.
Still not giving up, Nelsonville-York was able to fight back a little bit and plate four across in the top of the fifth. Consecutive doubles from Fowler and Freer to start the frame brought in the first run before an RBI single from Nungester later in the frame scored another. Shockey would then drill a two-run double to left field to cap off the scoring.
It would only take two batters for Athens to then end the game though. Following an error that got Beck-Aden on base, Kayla Hammonds would single in the runner with a shot to left field, eclipsing the 10-run deficit once again, enforcing the mercy rule as Athens walked away with another crucial conference victory.
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