Counting Down 15 Top HS Sports Stories from EYT Media Area: No. 10 Franklin Baseball Wins D10 Title, Advances to PIAA Semifinals

Chris Rossetti

Chris Rossetti

Published July 4, 2019 4:19 am
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Franklin-District-10-3A-Baseball-Champions-2019-1024x533CLARION, Pa. (D9Sports) — Over the next few weeks we will take a look at the Top 15 stories to impact the EYT Media coverage area (exploreClarion.com, exploreVenango.com, exploreJeffersonpa.com

NO. 10 — FRANKLIN BASEBALL WINS D10 TITLE, ADVANCES TO PIAA SEMIFINALS

The Franklin baseball team has been strong over the past few years, but always seemed to come up short in the District 10 playoffs.

Not in 2019.

The Knights won the D10 title for the first time since 2014 thanks to a 12-2, six-inning victory over Hickory.

Franklin got behind early, 2-0, to the Hornets but tied the game in the top of the second on a two-run home run by Kaden Keely before scoring three times in the third after two outs.

A two-out walk to Connor Rakow started the rally, and Bubba Rhoads broke the tie with an RBI hit-and-run double. Ian Haynes and Marc Knox then added RBIs singles to make it 5-2, and the rout was on.

Haynes, meanwhile, got into a groove after allowing the early runs retiring 10 in a row from the first inning through the fifth and 17 of the final 19 he faced.

The PIAA playoffs brought some drama with it for the Knights.

In the opening round against Freeport, Franklin found itself down 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh and was down to its last out with the tying run at second when Zachary Taylor drew a walk to put runners on first and second.

That walk was important as it forced Freeport starter Jarrett Heilman from the game at the 105-pitch limit.

Tyus Wood greeted reliever Joe Hotalski with a grounder to shortstop, and Dale Kinch beat the rap at third to load the bases for Connor Rakow, who walked off the win with a single to give the Knights a 3-2 victory.

In the PIAA quarterfinals, Franklin used a three-run fourth inning to break a 2-all tie on its way to a 6-3 win over Philipsburg-Osceola.

Carson Wible, who was 2-for-4 with a triple, a double, two runs scored and an RBI, broke the tie with a triple in the fourth.

While the Knights lost to Mount Union, 3-1, in the semifinals, they achieved school history by making the semifinals in baseball for the first time ever.

TOP 15 EYT MEDIA SPORTS STORIES FROM 2018-19 SCHOOL YEAR

10. Franklin Baseball Wins D10 Title, Advances to PIAA Semifinals
11. Young Clearfield Softball Team Reaches PIAA Semifinals
12. Cranberry Softball Goes to PIAA Semifinals
13. A-C Valley Girls’ Basketball Wins KSAC Title; Advances to PIAA Quarterfinals
14. Oil City’s Emma Stevenson wins 1,600-meter run at District 10 championship
15. Clarion Volleyball Wins D9 Title Advances to PIAA Quarterfinals

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