Warren third baseman Aiden Lipscomb, left, congratulates shortstop Cody Eding following a rare 7-6-4 putout during the Warriors' 3-1 loss to Athens on Friday. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

VINCENT — Warren was hoping to head into the postseason by winning for the ninth time in its final 11 games here Friday, but Athens rallied with three unearned runs in the top of the seventh to secure a 3-1 victory and split the regular season series.

The Warriors of head man Chad Porter plated their lone run for starting pitcher Carter Strong (5 IP, 2 BB, 4 SO) in the bottom of the first when leadoff man Braylen Murray doubled to the gap in right-center and scored on Tate Jonas’ sacrifice fly.

Murray, who allowed one hit, a walk and recorded one punchout, was in line for the save but was saddled with the loss after pitching the final two frames.

“The bottom line is we played good enough baseball to win a game,” said Porter. “We didn’t take advantage of the situation offensively when it presented itself and they did. That’s what it comes down to really.

“Our guys battled. I really thought there in the bottom of the seventh inning we had a shot. We had a shot there. We had a runner at second base and a positive count at the plate, but the ball just didn’t fall our way.”

Warren's Braylen Murray delivers to the plate during the Warriors' 3-1 loss to Athens on Friday. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Warren, which back on April 2 secured a 4-2 win in 14 innings at Athens, left six runners stranded, five in scoring position and went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position.

“We got to learn from this because it’s really, really hard on your pitching and defense when you score one run,” added Porter, whose squad has the No. 7 seed and returns to action at 5 p.m. Wednesday at second-seeded Miami Trace in a Division III Southeast District tournament opener.

“We witnessed that last week with (Parkersburg) South in that 10-inning game. I mean listen, we’re playing good, clean baseball. We just needed to push a couple across there and I think it’s a different game, but we’ll learn from it and be better for Wednesday. We have not played Trace. Good team. Really good team.”

Athens, which improved to 16-11 and earned the No. 4 seed and will entertain No. 5 Chillicothe at 5 p.m. Wednesday to open postseason play, loaded the bases with one out in the fourth against Strong, but couldn’t score.

Isaiah Arocho walked to start the frame and David Sharp followed with a single. After Strong struck out Frank Campbell looking, he hit eventual winning pitcher Liam Kline (2 IP, 1 BB, 1 SO) in the back as the bags were full. However, Strong struck out Kade Short before Chester Wood grounded out to Cody Eding at shortstop to escape the jam.

Warren first baseman Jayce Hilverding races in to catch a pop up in foul ground during the Warriors' 3-1 loss to Athens on Friday. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Bulldog leadoff hitter Luke Pero had a one-out infield single in the fifth, but was erased when starting pitcher Briar Thomas (5 IP, 2 BB, 1 SO) hit into an inning-ending 6-3 double play.

Murray worked a 1-2-3 top of the sixth for the Warriors, who got a one-out single by Jonas in the last of the sixth that was followed by Corey Floyd taking one for the team, but they were left stranded at second and third.

Kline opened the seventh by drawing a five-pitch free pass and Short followed by reaching on an error after a bunt. Pinch-hitter Austin Sweeney then delivered a run-scoring double and pinch-runner Isaac Kristofco scored the go-ahead run on an error. Thomas later added a sac fly.

In the WHS fifth, Bo Jonas had a leadoff double and catcher Will Carte got on via a bunt single, but nothing materialized.

In the seventh, Bo Jonas walked and made it to second on a wild pitch, but Kline retired the next three Warriors to earn the win in relief.

Warren head coach Chad Porter (26) has a meeting on the mound during the Warriors' 3-1 loss to Athens on Friday. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“Believe it or not we have some momentum,” admitted Porter, who watched Logan Wukelich play a one-hop off the fence in left during the first inning on a ball hit by Arocho that turned into a 7-6-4 putout as Eding fired to Bo Jonas at second just in time to get the tag down as the Bulldog was sliding in.

“We started 1-7 and we were 4-11 and finished the regular season at 13-14. I’m proud of these guys. We’ve grown a lot. We’ll learn from today. I’m super proud of our players and just the way we fought back all season. We’re going to get better tomorrow at practice, stay positive and keep working.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Athens 3, Warren 1

Athens 000 000 3 – 3 5 0

Warren catcher Will Carte, who had one of the Warriors' four hits via a bunt single in the fifth inning of Friday's 3-1 loss to Athens, frames a pitch. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Warren 100 000 0 – 1 4 2

WP: Liam Kline 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1SO

Briar Thomas (starter) 5IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 1SO

LP: Braylen Murray 2IP, 1H, 3R, 0ER, 1BB, 1SO

Carter Strong (starter) 5IP, 4H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 4SO

Athens (16-11) hitting: Luke Pero 1-3; Thomas RBI; Isaiah Arocho 1-3; David Sharp 1-3; Kline R; Isaac Kristofco R; Mason Sweeney 1-1, 2B, RBI; #10 R; Blake Taylor 1-3, 2B

Warren (13-14) hitting: Murray 1-4 R, 2B; Tate Jonas 1-3 RBI; Bo Jonas 1-2, 2B; Will Carte 1-2

Next games: #7 Warren at #2 Miami Trace and #5 Chillicothe at #4 Athens, 5 p.m. Wednesday in the Southeast Division III district tournament.