Butler bats quiet in defeat
BUTLER TWP — Both teams’ bats seemed sleepy throughout the game.
Then Franklin’s bats woke up and walked it off.
Hunter Goodman’s double to the fence in center scored Carter Barrett from first base with none out in the bottom of the sixth inning, handing Franklin a 2-1 District 25 U-12 baseball tournament win over Butler at the Meridian baseball complex Tuesday night.
“We didn’t hit the ball as well as we normally do,” Franklin coach Ryan Goodman said. “But we hit the ball when we needed it.
“We give out the BAGUBA award to a player after every game — Brutally Aggressive Guy Uninhibited By Adversity — and Ryan got that award tonight.”
Both teams began the tournament with shutout wins. Franklin blanked Clarion, 11-0, and Butler defeated A-C Valley/South Clarion, 9-0.
The win keeps Franklin in the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament. It will face the winner of the Cranberry-Oil City game, which was rained out on Tuesday. Butler will play the loser of that game in an effort to stay alive.
Dates of those games have not been announced.
“This was a well-played game by both teams,” Butler coach Shawn Manning said. “Pitchers threw strikes. Both teams played good defense.
“We’re disappointed we lost. We’re not disappointed by the effort.”
Butler scored its lone run in the first inning. Hunter Knapik lined a single to left to start the game, moved to second on a passed ball, to third on an infield out. Adam Marshall blooped a single to right for a 1-0 lead.
Franklin got even in the third frame. Tanner Hefferman singled to right with one out and Hayden Belle laid down a bunt toward third. Barrett hit into a force play at second, Butler shortstop Nate Gilkey stepping on the bag and firing to first. The base umpire ruled Barrett beat the relay throw, extending the inning.
With runners at the corners and two outs, Barrett intentionally got into a rundown between first and second. Manning instructed his team to take the out as Hefferman crossed the plate with the tying run.
“That was the easiest play, the play that was there,” Manning said. “If that was the sixth inning and not the third inning, we wouldn’t have done that. I figured we’d score a couple more.”
Butler was limited to one hit over the final five innings, however, managing just three hits in the game.
“We came down here and lost a couple of games,” Goodman said. “It feels good to come back and get one.”
Kolbyn Sipes, the third Franklin pitcher, got the win. He retired all six batters he faced in the final two innings. Aiden Dinger struck out five in two innings and Marshall allowed one run in pitching the first three frames.
“The community came out and supported these kids,” Manning said. “It was great atmosphere and a great game.”
Butler 100 000 — 1 3 0
Franklin 001 001 — 2 6 0
No outs when winning run scored
WP: Kolbyn Sipes 2IP (1k,0bb). LP: Nate Gilkey 0IP (0k,0bb).
Butler: Hunter Knapik 1B, Nate Gilkey 1B, Adam Marshall 1B RBI
Franklin: Carter Barrett 1B, Hunter Goodman 1B 2B RBI, Kolbyn Sibes 1B, Tanner Hefferman 1B, Hayden Belle 1B.
