MACIK POWERS ATHENS TO 14-3 WIN OVER WAVERLY IN 'BATTLE AT THE BORDER

By: Tim Birney  /  May 1, 2021  /  Photo: Mike Lubertowicz

WAVERLY — Junior Caydence Macik supplied the offense, and sophomore Aliyah Butler tossed a complete game to lead Athens to a 14-3 win over Waverly here Saturday afternoon in the second game of the “Battle at the Border” softball showcase.

Macik had three hits, including two home runs, scored three runs, and collected six RBI to lead Athens at the plate, while freshman Ashlyn VanFleet doubled and singled, scored two runs, and drove in two runs, and senior Audrey Hatch doubled and singled, scored three runs, and knocked in one run.

Butler and senior Mallory Mummert each singled twice and scored two runs in Athens’ 17-hit attack, while Braelynn Wood singled twice, senior Harley Sullivan singled scored two runs, and drove in one run, sophomore Addy Repsher singled and drove in one run, and Ciara Devine and sophomore Alli Thoman each added one single.

Butler allowed three runs on six hits, while striking out seven and walking one in complete-game effort.

The Lady Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on consecutive singles by Mummert, Wood, and Coyle, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hatch.

A pair of error put runners on first and third for the Wildcats to start the third inning, then Repsher lined an RBI single to left field to make it 2-0.

After an RBI groundout off the bat of VanFleet made it 3-0, the Lady Wildcats scored a pair of runs on a two-out error to make it 5-0.

Bella Romano put Waverly on the board in the home half of the third inning with a two-run single to trim the deficit to 5-2, but that is as close as the Lady Wolverines would get.

Hatch led off the top of the fourth inning with a double, and Sullivan reach on an error. Macik’s first home run — a line drive over the center-field fence — made it 8-2.

An RBI double by VanFleet, and an RBI single by Wood pushed the lead to 10-2.

Michaela Lauper’s RBI double in the bottom of the inning cut the lead to 10-3, but back-to-back singles by Hatch and Sullivan and Macik’s second three-run shot — a drive over the left-field fence, made it 13-3.

Athens tacked on an unearned run in the sixth inning to provide the final margin.

Sidney Tomasso singled twice and scored one run, and Romano singled and drove in two runs to pace Waverly’s six-hit attack, while Lauper doubled and drove in one run, Ennis singled and scored one run, freshman Peyton Shaw added a single, and Alyssa Sindoni scored one run.

The Lady Wildcats, now 13-3 (they topped Tioga 10-5 later in the day) hosts Wellsboro Wednesday, while Waverly (1-1) hosts Watkins Glen.