Luke Guth faced 22 batters in seven innings of work, that is a near perfect game. Oh, there were a couple hits and and a walk, but no Sharon toes crossed the plate. Only one ball that left his hand from the mound made it into the outfield on the fly. That was caught acrobatically in right field. Everything else stayed in the infield of Slippery Rock's fancy new turf stadium.
Guth had Sharon batters buffaloed all night. Weak swings were common and only about three solid bats hit the hard ball. But all three ended up in a Franklin mitt.
"I got to hand it to that kid," one spectator from the Sharon side of the stadium uttered as he left the field. He was talking about Guth.
Guth had Sharon batters buffaloed all night. Weak swings were common and only about three solid bats hit the hard ball. But all three ended up in a Franklin mitt.
"I got to hand it to that kid," one spectator from the Sharon side of the stadium uttered as he left the field. He was talking about Guth.
Here are my notes from the game. Guth opened the game with three strikeouts. Sharon batters were perplexed. The umpire did have an unusually low strike zone, but it was the same for both squads?
Franklin came to bat and got a lead off double. But not much more happened. A walk would lead to two stranded runners at the end of the first. This would become a theme. Walks and errors put many Frankin runners on base, but no results.
Franklin came to bat and got a lead off double. But not much more happened. A walk would lead to two stranded runners at the end of the first. This would become a theme. Walks and errors put many Frankin runners on base, but no results.
They left two more in the second. Another two in the third.One in the forth. They could not seem to plate runners.
Meanwhile Guth gave up some little dings that either ended up as outs immediately or as a result of a double play or pick off.
He pitched a near perfect game.
Meanwhile Guth gave up some little dings that either ended up as outs immediately or as a result of a double play or pick off.
He pitched a near perfect game.
The top of the fifth Guth retired all three Sharon batters in quick fashion.
Then in the 5th inning three hits ended up leading to three runs for the Knights.
That was all they needed as Guth shut down the Sharon squad including striking out the side again in the sixth. Franklin left one more runner on base in the bottom of the sixth, but Guth shut down the Tigers in the final inning for the win.
Usually the team that only leaves one base runner on will beat the team that leaves eight or nine, but in Sharon's case they only left one runner on base because at the end of each inning those that came to bat got out either because of Guth's dominance or getting caught on the bases. Again, he only faced 22 batters. It was a near perfect performance by the sophomore.
Franklin advances.
This is a pretty solid young team.
Then in the 5th inning three hits ended up leading to three runs for the Knights.
That was all they needed as Guth shut down the Sharon squad including striking out the side again in the sixth. Franklin left one more runner on base in the bottom of the sixth, but Guth shut down the Tigers in the final inning for the win.
Usually the team that only leaves one base runner on will beat the team that leaves eight or nine, but in Sharon's case they only left one runner on base because at the end of each inning those that came to bat got out either because of Guth's dominance or getting caught on the bases. Again, he only faced 22 batters. It was a near perfect performance by the sophomore.
Franklin advances.
This is a pretty solid young team.
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