Athens was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their 18th straight defeat. They suffered a rough 11-1 loss at the hands of the Van Vandals. The result was an unpleasant reminder to Athens of the 6-2 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture last Tuesday.
For Van's part, Grady Baetz spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered one run (which was unearned) on four hits and racked up ten Ks. Baetz has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Landon Smith, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now stolen at least one in the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Connor Mccurley, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Athens' loss dropped their record down to 2-22. As for Van, the win (which was their eighth in a row) raised their record to 22-6-2.
Athens will be playing at home against Lindale at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Lindale will roll in looking for their 11th straight victory, something Athens surely won't give up without a fight. As for Van, they didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next matchup, a 6-1 defeat vs. Bullard on the 13th.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
