Column: Franklin 10U Baseball battles back with big bats, seeks revenge

We're not going to lie, we didn't make it to this game Wednesday. These photos are from the previous two games we were able to attend. There is life outside of baseball (though I suspect folks reading this now are like... "there is???????")  and we had planned to cover two other stories this night.

So, last night we knew it was likely we wouldn't make it - so, we asked the very nice 'keeper of the book,' Ben Barrett if he'd send us the results and the copy of the book. And what a book it is...Mr Barrett was very busy making marks Wednesday and while looking over the book it is very clear that we missed a hell of a game - if you like offense anyway.

For those of you who don't know what baseball stats folks know, this is what a book looks like. The keeper of the book has to pay very close attention and every single baseball act, other than warmups, that has to be recorded. Those filled in circles at the bottom, in little league ball terms are the Bible.

​Each of those filled in circles is hugely important that they are accurate. "If we go over, if we run a kid two pitches too many, everything might be null and void," said Franklin head coach Scott Milliron. If a pitcher throws less than twenty pitches they can pitch the next day. If they hit 35 they they can't for two days. In tournament play, this is huge.

So having someone keeping the book accurately is a major factor in all-star baseball. And Ben Barrett is an educator who has taught math using baseball as a means to understanding number and stats. 

​For a dumb old photographer who did not follow in his fathers footsteps in his love of math, it's been a learning curve this season as I've learned how to read a book. And seldom are two book keeper styles the same. Mr. Barrett's is very clear.

What our late night glance shows is Greyson Milliron had another very good night at the plate and on the base pads. He scored four times. Barrett Smith and Chase Barrett were also incredibly prolific touching home three times a piece. Bryce Beightol scored a run and Cam Greksa scored two more times. Each of those scores means either someone knocked them in or wild pitches allowed them - I'm still trying to learn the hieroglyphics to determine those things. 

​Franklin was also aided by their opponent committing seven errors and a plethora of passed balls or wild pitches.

The most important marks in the book, beyond pitch count is the adding up of the runs each inning. In this case,  Franklin was unrelenting at bat scoring one in the first before pushing home 12 runs in three innings.  F.L.A.G. wouldn't go quietly though scoring five runs in both the fourth and sixth innings. In the end Franklin won 13-10 and advances to face St. Mary's again Thursday night.

They will have to beat them twice to win the tournament, so the coaches will be pulling their hair out trying to plan for the "if necessary game," while knowing they have to make the right call just to even get the chance at that game. Franklin should have some of its best pitchers ready for the rematch.

​The offense will need to be just as explosive, if not more so in Thursday's contest. Bats help save arms.

This is a good team facing another good team. St. Mary's beat up Franklin pretty good Tuesday night. 

They meet again tonight at 6 p.m. in Meadville in the must win for Franklin. The best warriors, and attentive coaches will win.