Editor's note: We accidentally called Chase Barrett, Carter, Carter is a player on the 12U team. Our apologies.
A low hitting affair by both teams kept the game interesting to the very end Monday when Titusville met Franklin in the 10 and under District 25 matchup at Miller-Sibley. Franklin prevailed in an extra inning game 3-2.
Franklin had drawn the bye into the round while Titusville shut out Oil City 12-0 to get there.
Franklin had drawn the bye into the round while Titusville shut out Oil City 12-0 to get there.
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Titusville went into the top half of the last inning needing two runs to tie. They had runners in scoring position all game long, but, Franklin thwarted their every attempt to push someone across the plate with gutsy pitching and timely defense. Franklin just looked like the better team that night.
Titusville's number 10 batter, second-baseman Jacob Schmader lead off the inning. Titusville has 12 players and they all bat in rotation. Schmader got a hold of one driving into left center deep enough for him make it into second standing.
The number 11 hitter, Jimmy Vogus was up next and given the signal to bunt. He laid down a beauty and sprinted down first. He was rewarded for his hustle when the throw got passed the Franklin first baseman. Not only did this allow him safe passage to first, it also gave Schmader the time to get home for Titusville's first run of the game.
Vogus was also able to get into scoring position by hoofing it to second.
Titusville's number 10 batter, second-baseman Jacob Schmader lead off the inning. Titusville has 12 players and they all bat in rotation. Schmader got a hold of one driving into left center deep enough for him make it into second standing.
The number 11 hitter, Jimmy Vogus was up next and given the signal to bunt. He laid down a beauty and sprinted down first. He was rewarded for his hustle when the throw got passed the Franklin first baseman. Not only did this allow him safe passage to first, it also gave Schmader the time to get home for Titusville's first run of the game.
Vogus was also able to get into scoring position by hoofing it to second.
Things seemed to be unraveling for Franklin, but pitcher Torin Schmidt dug deep to strike out the number 12 batter. But now, with the tying run on third, he faced the top of the order. He was unable to get Miles Smith to swing at balls out of the strike zone and ended up walking the speedster. Smith ended up at second in short order. Again Schmidt had to buckle down with two runners in scoring position and only one out, still holding onto a one run lead.
He got Hunter Reagle to squib one into the infield that he fielded himself tossing it to first for an easy, and important, second out. But the fielder's choice did cost them the lead as Vogus touched home.
Now, with two outs and a speedy runner at third, Schmidt couldn't afford a wild pitch or give up a hit.
He reared back and fired three powerful strikes to get out of the inning.
Now, with two outs and a speedy runner at third, Schmidt couldn't afford a wild pitch or give up a hit.
He reared back and fired three powerful strikes to get out of the inning.
Franklin had one last at bat in regulation, but was unable to score, in part, thanks to a rocket arm of Titusville catcher Declan O'Toole who gunned down Chase Barrett trying to steal second to hopefully jump start a scoring drive.
The out seemed to keep momentum in Titusville's favor as they headed into extra innings.
The out seemed to keep momentum in Titusville's favor as they headed into extra innings.
In the seventh Titusville just couldn't get anything going despite getting two runners on. O'Toole walked but was thrown out trying to steal second by Franklin's catcher Greyson Milliron, also with a good arm. Another batter was hit by a pitch, but didn't end up getting very far as Schmidt again buckled down to get out of the inning with strikeouts.
In the bottom of the seventh, Owen Hefferman, who earlier in the game scored one of Franklin's two runs and drove in the other, walked to start the inning.
He quickly made his way all the way to third on two wild pitches. It seemed like he wouldn't get any further though after Titusville coach Jeremy O'Toole put Gavin Smith in to pitch. Though he walked the first batter he faced, no damage was done and he settled in to strike out the next two batters leaving the runners wondering if they were going to get a chance to score.
He quickly made his way all the way to third on two wild pitches. It seemed like he wouldn't get any further though after Titusville coach Jeremy O'Toole put Gavin Smith in to pitch. Though he walked the first batter he faced, no damage was done and he settled in to strike out the next two batters leaving the runners wondering if they were going to get a chance to score.
Then it happened, a ball got by O'Toole and went to the backstop. "I was pretty nervous sending him, but it looked like it was so far back there I said you gotta go. (Owen Hefferman) is a fast little guy, so I just sent him." said Franklin head coach Scott Milliron.
It worked and the sliding Hefferman crossing home plate brought the hard fought battle to an end with a 3-2 win for Franklin despite only having three hits on the night.
"Titusville played a great game. Good pitching, it was a great game We’re grateful we came out with a win in the end," Milliron added
It worked and the sliding Hefferman crossing home plate brought the hard fought battle to an end with a 3-2 win for Franklin despite only having three hits on the night.
"Titusville played a great game. Good pitching, it was a great game We’re grateful we came out with a win in the end," Milliron added
Titusville also struggled to hit, only managing two scattered across the innings. "In the end, we gotta hit the ball better, you know, we can’t watch strike three," said Titusville head coach Jeremy O'Toole.
Titusville had many chances with runners on base, in scoring position but were shut down by Franklin's pitchers.
Titusville had many chances with runners on base, in scoring position but were shut down by Franklin's pitchers.
The game started off right for Titusville when leadoff batter Miles Smith sent one into right field for a base hit. But his team was unable to advance him across the plate. Smith then started on the mound. His first six pitches were strikes, the last one was bleeder back to him for the easy put out at first. He held Franklin scoreless.
Not to be out done Franklin's Chase Barrett struck out the side in the second inning and k'd eight overall in two-an-a-third innings work. "“There’s a reason he started,” coach O'Toole said. "Franklin’s got good pitchers. They pitched (Barrett) and they did it smart, kept him under 35 so he can pitch again."
Franklin did score one in the second after Cam Greska walked with one out. Hefferman followed with another walk. They both ended up on second and third when Schmidt also walked another loading the bases and prompting a huddle at the mound with the coach.
Another wild pitch found Greska heading for home, but O'Toole alertly was able to corral the ball and get in position for a high tag for the out,
But a couple pitches later another wild pitch and despite what happened a few moments earlier, Milliron sent Heffernan home to score the first run of the game.
Another wild pitch found Greska heading for home, but O'Toole alertly was able to corral the ball and get in position for a high tag for the out,
But a couple pitches later another wild pitch and despite what happened a few moments earlier, Milliron sent Heffernan home to score the first run of the game.
Scoring-wise it stayed pretty quiet for a couple innings, but there was some excitement in the innings. For Titusville Jacob Schmader made it to first on a bunt beating the throw of a bobbled ball in the third inning.
Franklin's Grayson Milliron got a good piece of a fastbal driving it right-center field where it looked like it would drop, but Titusville's Landen Kemp got a good jump on it and dove to make the catch and the out. It was such a good catch that even Franklin fans applauded.
Franklin's Grayson Milliron got a good piece of a fastbal driving it right-center field where it looked like it would drop, but Titusville's Landen Kemp got a good jump on it and dove to make the catch and the out. It was such a good catch that even Franklin fans applauded.
In the fourth, Titusville again had runners at second and third with only one out, but Franklin's Bryce Beightol really hunkered down and struck out the next two batters stranding the two runners.
Then in the bottom of the fourth, with two-outs, Greska drew a walk. Hefferman then laced one to right center for an RBI double scoring Greska and taking a 2-0 lead.
Titusville again got runners at second and third but were unable to score in the fifth. In the bottom of fifth Titusville's defense again shined. Greyson Milliron again got a solid bat on the ball driving it down the line to right field. It was going to land foul, but right fielder Wyatt Beck caught it on the run about six feet passed the line. It ended up being a huge out to keep Titusville close.
Titusville again got runners at second and third but were unable to score in the fifth. In the bottom of fifth Titusville's defense again shined. Greyson Milliron again got a solid bat on the ball driving it down the line to right field. It was going to land foul, but right fielder Wyatt Beck caught it on the run about six feet passed the line. It ended up being a huge out to keep Titusville close.
 | That set up the epic sixth and seventh innings where Titusville just fell short of the come from behind victory. "No-doubt can do it, we’re a good baseball team," coach O'Toole said. He pointed to things his team did during the game. "Good positive notes from tonight. We had great plays in the field, our catcher threw a kid out at second, we had two great catches in centerfield, our shortstop made a great play, our right fielder made a great play. We did play great defense." He said one thing they need to work on beyond hitting the ball better in a game situation, is stopping the wild pitches. "A couple passed balls, bad pitches... it's a deep backstop and they’re going to steal… we just gotta eliminate those." |
Franklin coach Milliron had praise for both teams.
"Props to Titusville, that was a great game, I did not expect it to come down to that at the end of the game, they’re a great hitting team, high scoring... Oh man they had some great plays in the outfield, That was crazy."
For his team, which moves on to face Knox tonight at Miller-Sibley at 6 p.m., he said, "Chase Barrett started us off great, Bryce (Beightol) coming in after that did a great job pitching, I couldn’t ask anything more of them." He said their strategy is to not run the pitch count up high for any of their pitchers. 35 is the cutoff for one day rest. "So we’re trying to limit them because we don’t know what our schedule is going to be. We might have to play Wednesday so that is only one day rest. It’s stressful (as a coach) trying to manage pitches, we don’t know if we can run somebody sixty pitches (and have enough rest to pitch them again) not knowing when the next game is scheduled."
Titusville will face Clarion in Clarion tonight (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. as well.
Both coaches have great pride in their teams and also know they have things to work on, but both said the exact same six words in the post-game interviews.
"I’m just proud of our team."
"Props to Titusville, that was a great game, I did not expect it to come down to that at the end of the game, they’re a great hitting team, high scoring... Oh man they had some great plays in the outfield, That was crazy."
For his team, which moves on to face Knox tonight at Miller-Sibley at 6 p.m., he said, "Chase Barrett started us off great, Bryce (Beightol) coming in after that did a great job pitching, I couldn’t ask anything more of them." He said their strategy is to not run the pitch count up high for any of their pitchers. 35 is the cutoff for one day rest. "So we’re trying to limit them because we don’t know what our schedule is going to be. We might have to play Wednesday so that is only one day rest. It’s stressful (as a coach) trying to manage pitches, we don’t know if we can run somebody sixty pitches (and have enough rest to pitch them again) not knowing when the next game is scheduled."
Titusville will face Clarion in Clarion tonight (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. as well.
Both coaches have great pride in their teams and also know they have things to work on, but both said the exact same six words in the post-game interviews.
"I’m just proud of our team."
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