Clarion had runners on second and third looking as though they were going to answer Franklin's six-run top of the first bombardment. Ethan Ferguson drilled one right at Franklin's Korbyn Sires. The ball reached the the wincing first-baseman's glove before Ferguson's bat even hit the ground. It ricocheted off him and headed toward right field which would've easily scored one and maybe two runs since the runners were on second and third.
Holden Goodman, playing second, wasn't about to let that happen. He snagged that ball out of midair. Despite having a cannonball fired right at him, Sires kept his head focussed on the play, got to first for an "easy" put out of Ferguson to end the threat and maintain a 6-0 lead.
That was the kind of night the Franklin Little League All-stars were going to have.
Holden Goodman, playing second, wasn't about to let that happen. He snagged that ball out of midair. Despite having a cannonball fired right at him, Sires kept his head focussed on the play, got to first for an "easy" put out of Ferguson to end the threat and maintain a 6-0 lead.
That was the kind of night the Franklin Little League All-stars were going to have.
Clarion was the home team, by coin flip, even though the game was on Franklin's home field up at Miller-Sibley Saturday night. It was Franklin's first game of the tournament having drawn a first round bye. Clarion was hot off an inclement 3-1 win over Titusville Friday night in Rimersburg.
Franklin, up to bat first, just plastered poor Clarion pitcher Brady Clinger. Franklin's consistent hits, some fielding errors by Clarion and a couple wild pitches led to a six-run lead before Clarion even got a chance to swing at a pitch.
Clarion did get some base-runners in the bottom of the first, but, Franklin's heads-up defense put a Clarion runner in a pickle and finally tagged out at first. It was apparent the Franklin had practiced for this scenario. "Fundamentals, it's about fundamentals," Franklin coach Ryan Goodman said. Clarion managed two other runners, but the Sires/Goodman heads-up play dashed Clarion's hopes at a score.
On the day, Franklin was as solid in the field as they were with their bats.
On the day, Franklin was as solid in the field as they were with their bats.
"We played really well, we had some lucky bounces that went our way, but we played a fantastic game all the way around," said coach Goodman after the game. "I don't think we really had an error, in the entire game."
They didn't.
They didn't.
The second and third innings were largely uneventful. Clarion got a couple base runners again in the second but no one got passed second base. In the third they were three up - three down. Franklin was quiet in those two innings not managing a base runner. But the fourth-inning was a near duplicate of the first as they erupted for five runs. They left two more on base, but the damage was already done.
Clarion faced an 11-run deficit going into the fourth-inning with the end of the game at stake if they couldn't plate two.
It looked like they were about to go quietly with first two-batters going down. But then life. Suddenly they had runners on every base.
Sires was in relief and in a little bit of trouble. He threw a wild pitch that made it passed Tanner Hefferman to the backstop. Clarion's Brady Clinger saw an opportunity to get one of those runs back and dashed toward home. Sires alertly also dashed to home plate from the mound. Hefferman corralled the ball from the short backstop, tossed to Sires in plenty of time to nab the sliding Clarion player to end the contest 11-0.
It looked like they were about to go quietly with first two-batters going down. But then life. Suddenly they had runners on every base.
Sires was in relief and in a little bit of trouble. He threw a wild pitch that made it passed Tanner Hefferman to the backstop. Clarion's Brady Clinger saw an opportunity to get one of those runs back and dashed toward home. Sires alertly also dashed to home plate from the mound. Hefferman corralled the ball from the short backstop, tossed to Sires in plenty of time to nab the sliding Clarion player to end the contest 11-0.
Goodman said he was proud of his kids smart and aggressive bats.
""We had a little problem last week in a scrimmage amongst ourselves. We had a lot of kids taking called third strikes," he said. "I wanted to make sure we didn't have that tonight, I don't think we had (a strikeout)(strikeout) tonight which is great, it's a testament to the kids hard work, they listen, its a great team."
""We had a little problem last week in a scrimmage amongst ourselves. We had a lot of kids taking called third strikes," he said. "I wanted to make sure we didn't have that tonight, I don't think we had (a strikeout)(strikeout) tonight which is great, it's a testament to the kids hard work, they listen, its a great team."
View more photos at: https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p735548083
Goodman and the other coaches have a little fun with the kids while preparing them to play.
"We decided we were going to give out awards, not necessarily to the kid that did the best, but to the kid that steps up when they might be struggling. We call it the BAGUBA."
"We decided we were going to give out awards, not necessarily to the kid that did the best, but to the kid that steps up when they might be struggling. We call it the BAGUBA."
(Pronounced Bah-Goo- ba.)
He explained it's an acronym that his wrestling coach used in high school that stands for "Brutally Agressive Guy Uninhibited By Adversity."
"It is about the player who maybe struck out three times, but gets up to bat with two guys on and drills one to the outfield," Goodman explained.
BAGUBA.
He explained it's an acronym that his wrestling coach used in high school that stands for "Brutally Agressive Guy Uninhibited By Adversity."
"It is about the player who maybe struck out three times, but gets up to bat with two guys on and drills one to the outfield," Goodman explained.
BAGUBA.
With the coach's concerns about strikeouts in practice and watching them all get in the batter's box against Clarion ready to play and go after the ball, the coaches couldn't pick one player, so they awarded it to the entire team.
"There was no individual, it was a complete team effort."
"There was no individual, it was a complete team effort."
Goodman has coached some of these kids over the last six years, but is in his first-year as all-star manager. He said this is a pretty good ball team.
"I don't really see a hole, It's a solid team from start to finish. There is no individualism on the team, we preach that pretty heavy - one guy ain't gonna win it - it's gotta be a team effort."
Other teams in the bracket are: Oil City who took care of Knox 9-1 Friday night, Cranberry, who absolutely embarrassed New Bethlehem 18-0. Butler, whose game Friday was suspended due to rain against ACV/SOCAL.
 | Action resumes Monday for all teams, but they are awaiting times and locations. Oil City will play Cranberry. Franklin will play the Butler v. ACV/SOCAL winner. Titusville will face Knox in the loser's bracket and Clarion awaits the Butler v. ACV/SOCAL loser. New Bethlem awaits the winner of the Knox v. Titusville game. View more photos at: https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p735548083 |
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