Editor's note: This has been edited to correct a misspelled name and a few typos, our apologies.
| The 8 p.m. game at the Fairground's Field Tuesday between St. Mary's and Franklin got a late start due to a delay with the umpires arrival. Then, once it began, Franklin's gloves, which are usually pretty good, were just not working for them as they racked up error after error in a six run first inning for St.Mary's. "The kids were just cold starting off with errors and stuff. I guess we needed a wake up call and here it is," said coach Scott Milliron after his team dropped a 17-6 drubbing by a strong St.Mary's team. St.Mary's started right off with their first batter, Cael Stauffer, hitting a single that was mishandled by the usually solid centerfielder Owen Hefferman. The mishap allowed Stauffer to make it safe to second. Then a grounder to second ended up with a throwing error and runners safe on first and third with no outs. Stauffer scorred on a wild pitch. Another misplayed ball in center scored two more runs and the batter on third, still with no outs . Finally Franklin recorded and out on a grounder to second that Cam Greksa handled nicely, but St.Mary's scored another on the fielder's choice. Six of St.Mary's first seven batters scored in the inning. Seemingly undaunted by the frustrating at times top of the first, Franklin began chipping away at the lead. Grayson Milliron reached first on a hard grounder that wasn't handled. Barrett Smith looped a base hit and Milliron went to third. Then Chase Barrett beat out an infield squibber and scored Milliron. Bryce Beightol grounded out but it scored Smith. then Owen Hefferman plated Barrett with a single to right field. But St. Mary's hard throwing starter Easton Staab got out of the inning with a three run lead leaving a couple runners stranded. In the second inning it looked like Franklin was back to being themselves and St. Mary's was unable to score. But then the Franklin wasn't able to muster up any offense themselves. St. Mary's got five more in the third, again only getting one hit while taking advantage of Franklin miscues, walks and wild pitches. St. Mary's had accumulated 11 runs on just two hits thus far. It just wasn't Franklin's night. Again they couldn't muster any offense in the bottom of the third. St. Mary's got its third hit on a boomer double by Staab who eventually added a run on a wild pitch. Franklin came to life in the bottom of the fifth with Milliron beating out a hard hit that was knocked down by the shortstop. Smith then doubled scoring Milliron all the way from first. Barrett clobbered one that rattled the right field fence for a double that scored Smith. Barrett scored and a Greksa single to right. They were only able to score three but it again brought them within 6 runs with a an inning to go. But St.Mary's was not done adding a demoralizing five insurance runs in the top of the sixth. The game ended at 17-6 with St. Mary's and their fans getting a day off from the two-and-a-half- hour commute. They will play in the championship game Thursday night a 6 p.m. against the winner o Wednesday night's 6 p.m. game between Franklin and F.L.A.G. who eliminated Meadville/Vernon earlier Tuesday night 11-5. Coach Milliron said he thinks he'll be ok with pitchers by keeping pitch counts down as much as possible. They play Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Fairgrounds field in hopes to get another crack at St. Mary's. |         |
They will have to beat them twice for a trip to states.
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