ATHOL — The Lions fended off a late-inning surge by the Legion to win 11-9 in Chuck Stone Little League action, Thursday night.
Nursing a 10-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Legion scored five runs to pull within 10-8.
Evan Quigley led off with a walk for the Legion, followed by a single from Connor Cox to score Quigley, making it 10-4. Dakota Choquette singled in Cox to make it 10-5.
With the bases loaded, Nathanial Torres doubled to the left field wall to score all three runners and cut the deficit to 10-8. After Dylan Nelson walked, Lions pitcher Robert LaFosse struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
The Lions added one run in the fifth on a single by David Johnson.
Down 11-8, Cox reached on a throwing error to first base and took second. A walk and wild pitch on ball four allowed James Williams to take first and Cox third. Choquette hit a ball to short, allowing Cox to score when the Lions elected to go to second for the force out. LaFosse then struck out the next two batters swinging to preserve the Lions’ 11-9 win.
The Lions scored five runs in the first inning and three in the second. LaFosse singled in the first inning to score David Vitello, giving the Lions a 1-0 lead. LaFosse moved to second on a passed ball and third on a wild pitch. He scored on a dropped third strike.
With runners on first and second, Matthew Vitello hit a ball to left field to score one run, making it 4-0 Lions. The Lions made it 5-0 on a passed ball that scored David Johnson from third.
Morgan Softic and David Vitello started the second inning off for the Lions with back-to-back infield singles. They ended up scoring on a pair of wild pitches to give the Lions a 7-0 lead. Riley Young sent an 0-1 pitch over the left-center field fence to give his team an 8-0 lead.
The Legion scored three runs in the third off of four walks and a triple by Hayden Barrieau.
Barrieau tripled home Cox and MJ Publicover to cut the deficit to 8-2. Barrieau then scored on a wild pitch.
Matthew Vitello (hit, RBI) walked three times for the Lions. David Johnson had two singles, while Kamdyn Ward added one hit.
Barrieau struck out five over three innings. Publicover pitched the final two innings and struck out six.
Softic started for Lions, pitching three innings and striking out seven.