Mansfield took a 5-0 lead after three innings of play, but the Wildcats scored two runs in each of the 4th, 5th and 6th frames to go up 6-5. The Tigers forced extra innings with a run in the bottom of the 7th, but were unable to answer Athens’ three run eighth.

The Tigers took the early lead, as Alex Davis delivered a leadoff single, moved to second base on an Andy Hermansen sac bunt and stole third before scoring on an Athens’ error off the bat of Easton Pequignot. 

Davis would come through again in the 2nd inning, driving in Jason Harer and Noah Muster .. who had singled and walked .. to put the Tigers up 3-0.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Pequignot singled and scored on Liam Shaut’s double. Pinch runner Bower would later score on a passed ball to give Mansfield a 5-0 lead going into the 4th inning. 

Athens rallied and went up 6-5 and were one out away from the comeback win when Riley Oakes and Shaut each singled and Harer drove Oakes in with a hit to tie the game up and force extra innings. 

The Wildcats plated three runs in the top of the 8th, however, and shut Mansfield down in the bottom half to escape with the win.

Shaut (single, double, RBI), Davis (2 singles, 2 RBI, run) and Harer (2 singles, 2 RBI, run) led Mansfield at the plate, while Pequignot and Oakes each had a hit and they and Noah Musser each scored a run. 

Davis started on the mound for North Penn-Mansfield, going three and a third innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Cooper Shaw threw two and two-third innings and gave up four earned runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts and Pequignot was tagged with the loss after pitching the final two innings and allowing three earned runs on three base hits and a pair of walks with two K’s.

NP-Mansfield, now 4-1 on the season, is scheduled to host Cowanesque Valley on Thursday.