Norwell’s baseball team won the 37th annual Athenian Baseball Invitational on Saturday at Crawfordsville with a 9-7 win over Griffith followed by a 5-1 victory over Crawfordsville.
The Knights (5-3) were tied 5-5 after Griffith put up three runs in the top of the fifth. However, Norwell took the lead back with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning.
Griffith added two runs in the sixth, but Norwell once again followed with two runs to take the lead back. Norwell pitcher Lane Lewis kept Griffith scoreless in the top of the seventh to seal the deal and get the victory on the mound in relief. Lewis allowed three hits and struck out two in 1 2/3 innings.
Lleyton Bailey started and pitched five innings, allowing five runs (three earned) while striking out two and walking three. Bo Morgan pitched 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on one hit while walking one.
At the plate, Norwell had 14 hits, with Brody Bolyn and Lewis each coming up with three. Bolyn went 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI, and one run. Lewis hit three singles and drove in two runs and scored another.
Luke Graft and Cade Shelton each added two hits.
In the championship game against Crawfordsville, Norwell struck first with one run in the first inning and added the only run it would need the rest of the game in the third inning. The Knights added three more runs in the fifth, and allowed Crawfordsville’s only run to come in the seventh.
Shelton pitched five innings and got the win, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out six and walking four. Lewis finished the job with two innings in relief and allowed one run on one hit.
Norwell had six hits at the plate, with Graft going 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run to lead the way. Bailey, Drew Graft, Shelton, and Morgan each added a hit as well.
Norwell will host Bluffton on Monday for its next game.
