Athol baseball blanks Pioneer Valley Regional

ATHOL — The Athol varsity baseball team is beginning to turn a corner.

After a span of four straight losses, the Red Raiders won their third straight with a 7-0 victory over Pioneer Valley Regional High School, Thursday.

Nicholas Bousquet held the Panthers (6-4) at bay, allowing only five hits and two walks through seven innings. He struck out 12. Bousquet, who threw only 86 pitches, didn’t allow a runner to get past second base until the seventh inning when an error at second base and a single put runners at second and third with nobody out. Bousquet got a strike out, popup and an out at home on the popup to end the game.

Joey Lehtomaki and Kris Selanis each had two hits for the Red Raiders (5-6). Lehtomaki added one double, while Selanis added two RBIs.

Keegan Lutz went 1-for-2 for the Red Raiders and added two RBIs. Robbie Nelson scored two runs, while Maysin Tarbell, Anthony Oro, Noah Pottinger and Bousquet all had one hit.