By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Greece Athena baseball started the week a game back of first in the Monroe County Division III standings. Three days and a regular season sweep later, the Trojans clinched the top spot in the league for a second straight year.
“We swung the bats today,” said Athena head coach Tim Sova after the Trojans beat Canandaigua, 11-6. “Things are going good. We’re rolling.”
The win was the seventh straight for Athena (12-4) and second in a row over Canandaigua (11-6) which was previously unbeaten in league play.
“We kinda dug ourselves a hole,” Sova said of the league race. “They were 6-and-O against the rest of the division. We lost to Brockport. At that point, we still had to play Spencerport twice and them. We had to sweep those four games, and we did it.”
Derrick Allen hurled six innings in Wednesday’s win while Ryan Grasley and Connor Osier both connected for home runs.
Grasley’s two-out, two-run home run gave Athena a lead it did not surrender at 4-2 in the second inning.
Osier’s three-run blast put the game out of reach in the sixth.
“It’s nice on Senior Day to see Ryan Grasley get his first career home run and Osier hit his first of the year,” Sova said. “Couple of seniors going deep today.”
Trae Rankin reached on a hit by pitch to start the Athena second. One out later, Gio Stewart walked. Both runners advanced on a passed ball. Rankin tied the score at two on an errant pickoff attempt, and Grasley followed with a shot to left field.
“We try to not rely on the home run ball, but we’ll take it,” Sova said. “We just want to put balls in play. We keep putting balls in play and put pressure on the defense.”
Osier finished 3-for-4 in the game with four RBI and two runs scored. His home run easily cleared the fence in right center and gave Athena an 11-4 lead.
Derrick Allen gets the scoring started with a sacrifice fly. Sammy Saucke scores on the play. @AthenaBaseball @cabaseball1791 0 pic.twitter.com/5N0AeVJFS9
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 8, 2024
Touch ‘em all. Ryan Grasley leaves the yard to give @AthenaBaseball a 4-2 lead with two outs in the second. pic.twitter.com/J8tQAJoA19
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 8, 2024
Buh-bye! Connor Osier goes deep with a 3-run shot, gives @AthenaBaseball an 11-4 lead with one out in the sixth. pic.twitter.com/c2E6V0g0AZ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 8, 2024
“He’s a strong kid,” Sova said of the right-handed batter who is committed to play at the University of Houston next year. “He’s always at his best when he’s hitting the ball to opposite field. I was not surprised to see that his first home run this season was oppo.”
Osier, who also struck out nine over five shutout innings when Athena beat Canandaigua, 6-0 earlier this week, drove in a run with a single in the fourth.
“He doesn’t strike out a lot,” Sova said. He makes a lot of good adjustments, and that’s why he’s racking up the RBI this year. He’s trying to put the barrel on it. He recognizes that he’s big and if he hits it, he’s going to hit it hard.”
Allen struck out 11 and allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks. The junior right-hander improved to 5-0 on the season.
“Once he gets locked in, he’s a really tough pitcher,” Sova said.
After surrendering a pair of runs in the second inning, Allen retired the side in order in the third and worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the fourth. He gave up two runs in the fifth before striking out the side in order in the sixth to finish his outing.
“The mound was slick, and he had his turfs on,” Sova said referring to the field conditions after showers passed through the area prior to the game. “We switched him into spikes, and he seemed to get much better from there.”
Allen finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple and two runs scored. Sammy Saucke went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Gio Stewart was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. Mikey Coyle walked and scored.
Athena has scored nine or more runs eight times this season.
Canandaigua’s Josh Barnes finished 2-for-4 and gave the Gray Wolves a 2-1 lead in the second inning with a one-out single that brought home Aaron Crunick. Nate Brinza connected on a solo shot in the seventh. Cole Harris doubled, walked twice and scored twice. Nate Barone drove in a run with a double and also scored. Johnny Mohammed singled in his only plate appearance.
Josh Barnes gives @cabaseball1791 a 2-1 lead with a single through the right side. One out, top 2. pic.twitter.com/w3hZk7dUvb
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 8, 2024
Josh Barnes works a clean bottom of the fifth for @cabaseball1791 pic.twitter.com/uLbtxvH5Nj
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 8, 2024
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