[color=brown:2mas1ky4]From today’s Athens Messenger… [/color:2mas1ky4]
[quote:2mas1ky4]Bulldogs clip Buckeyes
From staff reports
Athens spotted Nelsonville-York a third-inning run, erupted for five of its own in the fourth inning then cut short a Buckeye rally for a 5-4 victory in a Tri-Valley Conference-Ohio Division baseball game at Rannow Field Tuesday. It was the season opener for both teams.
Daniel Gillespie started on the mound and picked up the win with Dean Maffin taking over in relief in the fifth inning and picking up a save. Nick Hunter, who came on in relief of Nelsonville-York starter Thomas Taggart in the fourth inning, suffered the loss. Athens collected just four hits compared to 10 for the Buckeyes, but capitalized on two hit batters, a walk, two wild pitches and an error to go with two of its hits during its fouth-inning effort.
Maffin had two singles and Gillespie and Matt Witten one each for the Bulldogs. Chance Fox and Conner Bunting had two singles each and Nathan Dean, Kolton Thomas, Austin Howard, Hunter, Taggart and Mark Campbell one apiece for the Buckeyes.
Maffin drove in Athens’ first two runs with a bases-loaded single and the Bulldogs widened their lead to 5-1 on a double steal, two wild pitches and an error.
The Buckeyes combined five of their hits with a balk to cut the deficit to 5-4 in the top of the fifth but stranded two base runners.
After allowing a single to the first batter he faced in the fifth, Maffin retired the next two then retired the Buckeyes in order in the sixth and seventh inning.
Athens coach Fred Gibson said Nelsonville-York gave his team everything it could handle, but starting league play with a victory always makes him happy.
“We’re going to take it. We’re 1-0 in the league and tickled to death,†he said. “If you’re going to win the league championship, that’s the kind of game you somehow have to find a way to win.â€
Nels.-York 001 030 0 — 4 10 3
Athens 000 500 x — 5 4 1
Thomas Taggart, Nick Hunter (4) and Nathan Dean
Daniel Gillespie, Dean Maffin (5) and Kyle Dean
W — Daniel Gillespie (1-0), L — Nick Hunter (0-1), Sv — Dean Maffin[/quote:2mas1ky4]