The Wildcats opened the scoring in the first inning with two runs, and after a scoreless second, Mansfield cut the lead in half as freshman Noah Musser reached base on an Athens’ error, senior Alex Davis doubled and senior Cooper Shaw delivered a sacrifice groundout to score Musser.

Athens got the run back in the fourth inning and Mansfield answered in the top of the fifth as Davis hit a two-out double and junior Andy Hermansen drove Davis in with a single to make it 3-2 Athens.

The Wildcats extended their lead again in the sixth and the Tigers went in to their final at-bat down 4-2.

After a leadoff strikeout, Musser singled and Davis walked. Another K got Athens to within an out of the win, but Shaw would single, scoring pinch runner Isaac Sparks to keep the inning alive. 

The Wildcats intentionally walked senior Easton Pequignot to load the bases and senior Riley Oakes gave Mansfield their first lead of the game, driving in both Davis and Shaw and moving Pequignot to third while ending up at second.

An Athens’ error off the bat of senior Liam Shaut scored both Pequignot and pinch runner Brady Bowers and the Tigers led 7-4. Sophomore Jason Harer followed with a single to centerfield, but the Wildcats gunned down Collin Oakes .. running for Shaut .. at the plate for the third out.

In the bottom of the seventh, Athens got their first two batters on base on a pair of Mansfield errors behind new pitcher Pequignot, who relieved starter Shaw after six strong innings.

A looped single to right field that Shaw just missed on a diving attempt loaded the bases for Athens, and a pair of walks forced home two runs to close the gap to 7-6. After Athens tied it up on a wild pitch, the Wildcats’ Duncan Thetga delivered an RBI single to left field to give the Wildcats the walk-off win. 

Shaw went six innings for the Tigers and allowed four runs (3 earned) on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Pequignot was one of three pitchers that were unable to record an out in the seventh, allowing four unearned runs on a hit and a walk, while Davis walked the lone batter he faced and Cameron Caldwell allowed the RBI single to end the game. 

Davis finished with a pair of doubles at the plate and scored twice, while Riley Oakes (2 RBI) and Harer each had two hits, Musser (1 R), Shaw (RBI, R) and Hermansen each added hits and Pequignot scored. 

The Tigers, now 10-4 overall on the season, 8-4 in the NTL and 6-4 in the large school division, are scheduled to return to action Friday when they host Cowanesque Valley.