Sayre scored first but Athens scored more in Wednesday night’s District 15 Little League Juniors contest, to post an 11-7 win and advance in Juniors consolation bracket play.
    Athens will play Saturday at either Wellsboro or Tunkhannock, who play today at     Athens, in the consolation bracket final. The winner of that game advances to play in the championship game Monday and, if necessary, Tuesday.
Wednesday night, Sayre plated a run in the top of the first inning on one-out singles by Joe Kozemko, Tyler Williams and Alex Lyons, followed by a sacrifice fly to left by Nate Bostwick.
    Athens roared back in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-1 lead. Athens loaded the bases with nobody out on a single by Zach Corl, an error that let Nick Skerpon reach base and a walk to Adam McCauley. Athens got its first run on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Curt Moore that left the bases juiced and brought Corl in. Skerpon scored on a passed ball and Chris Pack followed with a two-run single to center field. Pack added the fifth run later in the frame on an RBI groundout by Trey Patton.
    Walks to Corl and Skerpon in the second inning proved costly for Sayre, as Athens got a single from McCauley and a sacrifice fly by Curt Moore to add two more runs.
    After Joe Kozemko reached on a walk in the top of the third for Sayre, Tyler Williams reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Kozemko at second, then stole second. Bostwick worked a two-out walk and Jared Donovan added an RBI single to cut Sayre’s deficit to 7-2.
    Athens answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Craig Moore opened the inning with a single with TJ Glisson and Luke Webster also reaching base. All three subsequently scored for the hosts, making the score 10-2.
    Sayre bounced back with two runs in the fourth on three errors and a double by Williams. Kyle Lake and Brad Felt each reached via error and scored.
    Athens picked up its final run in the fourth on singles by Pack and Glisson and a Sayre error that let Webster reach base.
    A one-out single by Donovan was followed by an RBI double by Riley Card for Sayre in the fifth. In the seventh, Sayre ended the scoring with runs by Bostwick, who had walked, and Donovan, who reached on a single.
    Card added a second-inning single and Williams recorded a sixth-inning single for Sayre.
    Donovan started on the hill for Sayre with Lyons coming on in relief in the second inning. Williams and Bostwick shared time behind the plate.
    For Athens, Craig Moore added a sixth-inning base hit.
    Glisson started on the mound for Athens, giving way to Curt Moore in the sixth inning. Curt Moore started the game behind the plate with Pack taking over for him in the sixth.
    July 5
    Wellsboro 12, Athens 7
    Wellsboro took advantage of 10 hits and nine walks to knock Athens to the consolation bracket.
    Brian Brill added a home run and two singles, scoring three runs and catcher Ben Shaw had a home run and a double, scoring twice to lead Wellsboro. Pat Parsons laced a double and a single with one run scored, Thomas Johnston had two singles and a run, Matt Reese had just one hit, a single, but walked three times and scored twice for Wellsboro. In addition, Brandon Grinnell had a single with James Langs, Bob Owlett and Garrett Webster adding a run each.
    Brill started the game on the hill with Grinnell and Kyle Rusk pitching the seventh.
    Athens managed just five hits, led by catcher Curt Moore, who had a home run, a single and two runs scored. Corl added a double and a run and Craig Moore had a single. Adding a run each for Athens were Skerpon, Andrew Redman and Glisson.    Pack started on the mound for Athens, with Trey Patton coming on in the third inning and Craig Moore pitching from the fifth inning on.
    July 7
    Athens 10, Southern Tioga 0
    Athens scored seven times in the first inning to end any suspense.
    Patton went the distance against Southern Tioga, scattering five hits with five strikeouts and no walks. The only inning he was in trouble was the fourth, when a Logan Wise double was followed by a single by Sam Rotella. The Athens defense came through, cutting Wise down at the plate and Rotella at second to help Patton get out of the inning.
    Forrest Smith, who started on the mound, Alex Strohecker, who came on to pitch in the fifth and Logan Thompson also singled for Southern Tioga.
    Pack paced Athens with two singles and two runs scored and McCauley added a single and a double. Craig Moore and Shane Bradley each had a single and a run and     Glisson also had a single. Adding one run each for Athens were Skerpon, Redman, Patton, Webster and Corl.