SLIPPERY ROCK — Connor Rakow took care of business on the mound.

He finished it at the plate.

The Franklin senior replaced starting pitcher Ian Haynes — who had to leave on pitch count — with runners at second and third and two outs in the top of the seventh. He induced Freeport's Austin Kepes to hit a comebacker to the mound for the out, keeping the Knights within a run.

Rakow then delivered a two-out, two-run single to right in the bottom of the seventh, giving Franklin a 3-2 win over the Yellowjackets in an opening round PIAA Class 3A baseball tournament game Monday at Critchfield Park.

“There's a reason why they say baseball is a game of inches,” Freeport coach Ed Carr said. “Today, we were on the wrong side of that inch.”

Freeport (15-7) came within an out of snapping Franklin's 20-game winning streak. But that out never came.

The Yellowjackets broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth. Garrett Ben singled to right to start the frame. Bradyn Clark bunted him to second, a wild pitch moved him to third and Kepes plated him with a two-out infield single.

With ace right-hander Jarrett Heilman on the mound, it looked like that 2-1 lead would stand up.

“That kid throws strikes and we saw by his strikeout numbers this season that he mows guys down,” Franklin coach Brian Schmidt said. “We only struck out only four times against him, which showed we put together some good at-bats.

“Tyus (Woods) had an 11-pitch at-bat in the first inning. That sort of set the tone that way.”

Heilman allowed an unearned run through the first six innings. His pitch count was at 94 entering the seventh.

“I knew it was up there,” Heilman said. “I had to pitch smart, try to get guys out early. I noticed their hitters were changing their swings with two strikes. They were tough to finish off.”

Kolton Banfi singled to right with one out in the Franklin seventh. Carson Wible grounded out to second, Banfi moving up to second.

Heilman had a chance to finish off the game by retiring lead-off hitter Zachary Taylor. Taylor worked a walk, however, and Heilman had to leave the mound with 107 pitches. He moved to first base.

Joe Hotalski took over the pitching duties and got Wood to hit a grounder to shortstop. The throw went to third base, but was low. As the runner slid in, the ball came loose and everybody was safe.

Rakow then drilled the first pitch he saw into right-center field for a game-winning two-run single.

“Throwing to third was the easier throw, the quicker play,” Carr said of the Wood ground ball. “It wasn't a bad decision. We just didn't get the out. It was close.

“If we get the out, we're standing here talking about what a great decision it was to throw there.”

Heilman defended the decision as well.

“Since I was playing first, I went to the bag to await the throw,” he said. “But the ball took him (shortstop) tooward third base. It's a split-second decision.

“If I was him, I'd have thrown to third, too.”

Heilman allowed one earned run all season entering Monday's game. He was charged with two in the final inning.

Franklin had a .334 team batting average coming into the contest.

“We saw their hitters don't strike out much,” Carr said. “They battle you at the plate. Jarrett pitched another great game for us. He carried us on his back much of this year.

“But we won 15 games this season and they all weren't his. We have other good players. Franklin is an excellent team and I hope they go a long way. But this game could have gone either way.”

Schmidt agreed.

“We've won 21 in a row and this one was a scrap,” he said. “We had the right guy up at the end of the game. Nothing gets to Connor. He's always clowning. He's kind of a goofball ... That situation wasn't gonna bother him.”

Rakow had three singles for Franklin. Hweilman had a double and single, Garret Ben a pair of singles for Freeport.

Franklin's Haynes struck out nine and walked one in 6.2 innings before leaving the game.

Freeport 010 010 0 — 2 7 2

Franklin 000 100 2 — 3 7 2

W: Connor Rakow .1IP (0K, 0BB). L: Jarrett Heilman 6.2IP (4K, 2BB).

Freeport (15-7): Austin Kepes 1B RBI, Joe Hotlski 1B, Jarrett Heilman 2B 1B, Garrett Ben 2-1B, Josh Tirdel 1B

Franklin (22-1): Connor Rakow 3-1B 2-RBIKaden Keely 1B 3B, Ian Haynes 1B RBI, Kolton Bonfi 1B