They got runners on base, but just couldn't push them around or punch them in. They left two in scoring position in both the first and fourth innings. Meanwhile Cranberry's pitcher Bryce Marchinke pitched lights out. He got himself into a little trouble in the first, giving up a two out grounder by Korbyn Sires that found its way into left center. He then drilled Jake Saragian in the shoulder to put two runners on. But Marchinke wasn't fazed and struck out the final batter to keep the 1-0 lead. |
It was a must win for Cranberry Thurday night, and boy did they take that seriously. Three out of their first four batters reached base and they plated one to take an early lead. It was only a nifty heads up double play by Carter Barrett that got Franklin out of the inning with minimal damage. Not knowing it at the time, but that was all that Cranberry would need to force the if necessary game for the District 25 championship. Franklin, who reached the championships with solid defense and good bats, just never seemed to be able to mount an offensive charge Thursday. Sires also seemed to settle down on the mound for Franklin and with solid defense behind him, Cranberry couldn't muster much either until the fifth inning when a Matt Antrilli bases loaded single scored two. They added another before the end of the inning and one more in the sixth. The 5-0 Cranberry win forced the if necessary game tonight at 6 p.m. up at Hasson Heights in Oil City at 6 p.m. for all the marbles.
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Franklin's 10 and under all-stars continued to play well defeating visiting Knox 8-1 Wednesday night putting themselves into the championship game. Franklin took advantage of Knox's six errors while also pounding out eight hits in the win. They will play for the championship Saturday at 6 p.m in Miller-Sibley. It's a double-elimination game so they have a little wiggle room.
Titusville junior league baseball team took it to AC Valley/Knox last week in the rain at the Hasson Heights ball field in Oil City. Jackson Oviatt started for Tituville and held Knox to just one run early. “We knew if we threw strikes with the defense we have, we’d have no problem,” said coach Keith Klingler. They took a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning when Tanner Wolfkiel laced a double to left-center to score Blake Schmidt who reached base on looper over the shortstop. Schmidt got into scoring position with a steal. “That’s our game, we steal bases, move guys up and be patient at the plate,” Klingler said. “It’s about getting people in scoring position and not making mental mistakes.” In the sixth inning, with the score 4-2 Titusville loaded the bases with no outs and ended up scoring three runs to give themselves a little cushion going into the last inning. They added three more in the seventh to get the 10-2 win. "We’re looking forward to the next challenge," Klingler said They play Oil City Friday July 7, who beat Cranberry last week as well, The winner will advance to the championship game in the double-elimination bracket. “We do those little things other teams don’t do and that’s why we’re here. Klingler said
Editor's note: We accidentally called Chase Barrett, Carter, Carter is a player on the 12U team. Our apologies. A low hitting affair by both teams kept the game interesting to the very end Monday when Titusville met Franklin in the 10 and under District 25 matchup at Miller-Sibley. Franklin prevailed in an extra inning game 3-2. Franklin had drawn the bye into the round while Titusville shut out Oil City 12-0 to get there. Titusville went into the top half of the last inning needing two runs to tie. They had runners in scoring position all game long, but, Franklin thwarted their every attempt to push someone across the plate with gutsy pitching and timely defense. Franklin just looked like the better team that night. Titusville's number 10 batter, second-baseman Jacob Schmader lead off the inning. Titusville has 12 players and they all bat in rotation. Schmader got a hold of one driving into left center deep enough for him make it into second standing. The number 11 hitter, Jimmy Vogus was up next and given the signal to bunt. He laid down a beauty and sprinted down first. He was rewarded for his hustle when the throw got passed the Franklin first baseman. Not only did this allow him safe passage to first, it also gave Schmader the time to get home for Titusville's first run of the game. Vogus was also able to get into scoring position by hoofing it to second. Things seemed to be unraveling for Franklin, but pitcher Torin Schmidt dug deep to strike out the number 12 batter. But now, with the tying run on third, he faced the top of the order. He was unable to get Miles Smith to swing at balls out of the strike zone and ended up walking the speedster. Smith ended up at second in short order. Again Schmidt had to buckle down with two runners in scoring position and only one out, still holding onto a one run lead. He got Hunter Reagle to squib one into the infield that he fielded himself tossing it to first for an easy, and important, second out. But the fielder's choice did cost them the lead as Vogus touched home. Now, with two outs and a speedy runner at third, Schmidt couldn't afford a wild pitch or give up a hit. He reared back and fired three powerful strikes to get out of the inning. Franklin had one last at bat in regulation, but was unable to score, in part, thanks to a rocket arm of Titusville catcher Declan O'Toole who gunned down Chase Barrett trying to steal second to hopefully jump start a scoring drive. The out seemed to keep momentum in Titusville's favor as they headed into extra innings. In the seventh Titusville just couldn't get anything going despite getting two runners on. O'Toole walked but was thrown out trying to steal second by Franklin's catcher Greyson Milliron, also with a good arm. Another batter was hit by a pitch, but didn't end up getting very far as Schmidt again buckled down to get out of the inning with strikeouts. In the bottom of the seventh, Owen Hefferman, who earlier in the game scored one of Franklin's two runs and drove in the other, walked to start the inning. He quickly made his way all the way to third on two wild pitches. It seemed like he wouldn't get any further though after Titusville coach Jeremy O'Toole put Gavin Smith in to pitch. Though he walked the first batter he faced, no damage was done and he settled in to strike out the next two batters leaving the runners wondering if they were going to get a chance to score. Then it happened, a ball got by O'Toole and went to the backstop. "I was pretty nervous sending him, but it looked like it was so far back there I said you gotta go. (Owen Hefferman) is a fast little guy, so I just sent him." said Franklin head coach Scott Milliron. It worked and the sliding Hefferman crossing home plate brought the hard fought battle to an end with a 3-2 win for Franklin despite only having three hits on the night. "Titusville played a great game. Good pitching, it was a great game We’re grateful we came out with a win in the end," Milliron added Titusville also struggled to hit, only managing two scattered across the innings. "In the end, we gotta hit the ball better, you know, we can’t watch strike three," said Titusville head coach Jeremy O'Toole. Titusville had many chances with runners on base, in scoring position but were shut down by Franklin's pitchers. The game started off right for Titusville when leadoff batter Miles Smith sent one into right field for a base hit. But his team was unable to advance him across the plate. Smith then started on the mound. His first six pitches were strikes, the last one was bleeder back to him for the easy put out at first. He held Franklin scoreless. Not to be out done Franklin's Chase Barrett struck out the side in the second inning and k'd eight overall in two-an-a-third innings work. "“There’s a reason he started,” coach O'Toole said. "Franklin’s got good pitchers. They pitched (Barrett) and they did it smart, kept him under 35 so he can pitch again." Franklin did score one in the second after Cam Greska walked with one out. Hefferman followed with another walk. They both ended up on second and third when Schmidt also walked another loading the bases and prompting a huddle at the mound with the coach. Another wild pitch found Greska heading for home, but O'Toole alertly was able to corral the ball and get in position for a high tag for the out, But a couple pitches later another wild pitch and despite what happened a few moments earlier, Milliron sent Heffernan home to score the first run of the game. Scoring-wise it stayed pretty quiet for a couple innings, but there was some excitement in the innings. For Titusville Jacob Schmader made it to first on a bunt beating the throw of a bobbled ball in the third inning. Franklin's Grayson Milliron got a good piece of a fastbal driving it right-center field where it looked like it would drop, but Titusville's Landen Kemp got a good jump on it and dove to make the catch and the out. It was such a good catch that even Franklin fans applauded. In the fourth, Titusville again had runners at second and third with only one out, but Franklin's Bryce Beightol really hunkered down and struck out the next two batters stranding the two runners. Then in the bottom of the fourth, with two-outs, Greska drew a walk. Hefferman then laced one to right center for an RBI double scoring Greska and taking a 2-0 lead. Titusville again got runners at second and third but were unable to score in the fifth. In the bottom of fifth Titusville's defense again shined. Greyson Milliron again got a solid bat on the ball driving it down the line to right field. It was going to land foul, but right fielder Wyatt Beck caught it on the run about six feet passed the line. It ended up being a huge out to keep Titusville close.
Franklin coach Milliron had praise for both teams.
"Props to Titusville, that was a great game, I did not expect it to come down to that at the end of the game, they’re a great hitting team, high scoring... Oh man they had some great plays in the outfield, That was crazy." For his team, which moves on to face Knox tonight at Miller-Sibley at 6 p.m., he said, "Chase Barrett started us off great, Bryce (Beightol) coming in after that did a great job pitching, I couldn’t ask anything more of them." He said their strategy is to not run the pitch count up high for any of their pitchers. 35 is the cutoff for one day rest. "So we’re trying to limit them because we don’t know what our schedule is going to be. We might have to play Wednesday so that is only one day rest. It’s stressful (as a coach) trying to manage pitches, we don’t know if we can run somebody sixty pitches (and have enough rest to pitch them again) not knowing when the next game is scheduled." Titusville will face Clarion in Clarion tonight (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. as well. Both coaches have great pride in their teams and also know they have things to work on, but both said the exact same six words in the post-game interviews. "I’m just proud of our team."
The third was another case of MEC pecking away and taking advantage of Titusville mishaps to score a couple to take the lead back.
They then left the bases loaded unable to score more runs and retake momentum. But Titusville, down just 3-2 was right there with MEC and it was anyone's game still at the end of five innings.
MEC won their second District 1 title in as many years. And both years it took the if necessary game to get there. Perseverance. Umpire and District 1 league official Bill Dithrich said at the end of the game as he was presenting the champions with their medals and banner that it was his pleasure for him to have officiated all three of their meetings. He pointed at how each team could've come out on top. He spoke highly of how they both battled out of jams in the games and how they seemed to respect each other and the game of softball. Dithrich pointed toward Titusville and told them to hold their heads high because they are a heck of a team.
For Phillips and the District 1 champion MEC squad it is moving on to the next level in hopes to make it to states. "Usually it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, lucky for me and seven of these girls it's happened twice now," she said. Her advice for her team: "Come, play your game and have fun." And from the looks of their after win celebration, they do know how to have fun. Shaving cream and all. One last one: Irelynn Brenot sticks the top of her shirt in her mouth when she bats. One the many years I've covered this sport I've seen this many times. But today Brenot, running to second had to deal with the fact that her shirt had caught in her braces and then needed teammate help when she returned to the dugout to free her shirt. Of course, her teammates had a good laugh, as did she.
See more photos from the Titusville v. MEC two games here. |
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For a very comprehensive look ate Venango Sports visit our friend's website: yardsandpoints.com is a website dedicated the long history of the Oil City and Franklin football rivalry by former sports editor Penny Weichel. It is an amazing labor of love and valuable resource for history. It is our go-to here at 8and322.com. Categories |