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Rocky Grove drops likely region title game to Saegertown, but...

5/17/2022

These are two very solid baseball teams. Rocky Grove needed to win today to be region champion. They threw their top pitcher, but Saegertown got their bat on the ball and just out hit the Orioles.

The Panther win puts them in the drivers seat. They have one game left against Youngsville which they are expected to win easily.

All in all a very solid season for the Orioles only dropping two region games, one to the Cochranton Cardinals and one to what looks like the region champ Saegertown Panthers. They also defeated both those squads once this year as well. It has been a very good season for the Orioles.

On to the post season.

Below are more photos from Tuesday's game. Even more photos can be found by clicking here.

Below are more photos from Tuesday's game. Even more photos can be found by clicking here.

On a personal note, it was nice to see D-Train again.

The assistant coach was a little leaguer, perhaps 8-9 year-old all-star pitcher I photographed many times during his baseball career. I may have even taken his senior pictures.

And Scott Walters and Brad Wise as well. Folks I knew pretty well for years covering youth sports for The Meadville Tribune.

And Bill Sherry umpired the field helping out Ken Mong who was behind the plate.

Franklin girls finish season undefeated in the region

5/17/2022

Unfortunately we couldn't travel out to Hermitage today to see if the Lady Knights would bounce back from their first loss of the season over the weekend.
They did.
A 7-5 region win over Hickory. The Knights finished unbeaten in the region with one non-region game to go tomorrow at Sharpesville. Sharpesville should prove to be another good test as they prepare for the high level play they'll face in the playoffs.

Congratulations team. You're fun to watch and I'm hoping to catch you several more times this season.

This young but experienced team just has the right stuff

5/13/2022

“We had a pretty successful season so far,”

- Franklin head coach Chad Hoobler

Photos from Franklin's recent 10-1 win over Grove City. More photos can be seen by clicking this link: https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p743917692

Story by Jill Harry

The Franklin Knights softball team is heading into the final week of the regular season with all their pre-season goals completed or within reach.

Be the champs of their region – done.

Finish the season undefeated – 16-0 with three games left.

Repeat as District 10 4A winners – currently ranked number one.

“We had a pretty successful season so far,” said first-year head coach Chad Hoobler.

So successful that they have only gone the full seven innings five times.
They have scored nearly 200 runs already while allowing their opponents only 25.

“We like to average double-digit runs each game because it takes the pressure off the pitcher,” Hoobler said.

It’s a system that seems to be helping their ace starting pitcher, junior Trinity Edge, thrive. She is ranked second among all pitchers in District 10, according to the Erie Times-News.

Edge is second in strikeouts (111) and first in wins (13), and has an ERA of 1.32 going into the Knights’ recent game against Grove City.

But she isn’t Franklin’s only standout player.

“I’m blessed with nine solid ball players who work together as a team.”

“It’s been a total team effort,” Hoobler said. “I’m blessed with nine solid ball players who work together as a team.”

Looking over all the stats available on the Erie Times-News website it’s easy to find evidence of that claim. Six of the players are listed within the top 20 rankings in different offensive categories prior to Thursday’s game.

“I don’t remember a team that has been as dominant. This team has been sheer power at the plate,” he said.

Junior Sydni Hoobler leads the team with 33 hits and a batting average of .635, which places her fourth in the district. Edge is eighth with 24 hits and a .571 batting average. The team’s sole senior, Brandi Atwell is 20th with 20 hits and a .500.

Hoobler is ranked top in the district for runs scored at 29. Sophomore Rilee Hanna and freshman Gabriella Laderer are tied for eighth with 22 each.

Laderer leads the team with doubles at 7 (seventh in the district), home runs with 3 (14th in the district) and RBIs with 25 (sixth in the district).

And freshman Abigail Boland leads the team with triples, tied for 11th with a large number of players throughout the district.

Hoobler is also having a standout season running the diamond. She is currently ranked at the top of the district and the state in stolen bases with 28.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how hard-working of a team this is,” coach Hoobler said.

And the work has played off.

Thursday, the Erie Times-News ranked the Franklin Knights at the top of the 4A class standings. “With Villa Maria and Warren losing games this week, it’s time to get the Knights into the top spot with an undefeated record,” Times-News reporter Tom Reisenweber wrote. He also named Laderer among the breakout stars of the district and said the team was the “likely top seed.”

Heading into the last three games of the regular season, one regional and two non-regional, Hoobler says the team plans to focus on improving more each day.

“We just want to take it one game at a time from here and continue getting better.”

Orioles avenge earlier season loss to the Cardinals

5/9/2022

Eli Moreland shut down the visiting Cochranton Cardinals while the Rocky Grove bats got right to work in the first culminating in Isaac Clayton going yard.

Clayton got on base and touched home plate every time he batted Monday.

The Orioles got back at the Cardinals who were the only conference foe to defeat them this season.

Rocky Grove will be busy over the next week with four conference games and one non-conference finale before post season gets underway.

We added today photos to the album from last week's game here.

Rocky Grove baseball continues to roll

5/6/2022

Rocky Grove baseball team was playing like they had someplace else to go Thursday afternoon against visiting Iroquois.

And they did.

Several players play musical instruments and the school was hosting its spring concert that night.

There are also a couple dual sports players who are also on the boys volleyball team who were also playing that night. And for the volleyball team, it was senior night.

So Geoff Sanner's Orioles are firing on all cylinders.

It took them only four innings to knock off the Braves 16-1 to take their record to 13-1 in the region.

Sanner said he's looking forward to next week's game against Cochranton, who served the Orioles their only loss of the season.

This season the Orioles seem to have all the tools, a deep rotation, solid hitting and are playin fairly error-free in the field.

See more photos at https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p720178104

Franklin softball was challenged, but international rules....

5/6/2022

When Trinity Edge got hit in the back as she slid into third base in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Knights were looking like they were on their way to another win over the visiting Jamestown Muskies.

Edge was pitching lights out all game. Someone shouted out to her from the bench "Can you still throw?" She responded affirmatively.

But in the top of the sixth, she wasn't quite as sharp and got herself into a bit of trouble.

She beared down and retired the side with the bases loaded and only giving up one run.

Going into the final frame the score was 4-1. The Muskies came out getting the meatier part of the bat on the ball and began getting base runners.

The Knights, who are generally speaking a solid defensive squad, muffed a few balls. With Trinity not her usual razor-sharp Edge, the Knights' perfect season seemed in jeopardy. But she pitched her way out of the inning only giving up three runs.

The Knights were not able to score in the bottom of the seventh. In the ninth inning. the Muskies again looked to end the Knights' undefeated season by scoring a pair of runs. But the Knights rebounded scoring two of their own to tie it up again.

The international tie-breaker rule was invoked. It's a sort of sudden death style way to get the game in the books. Each team starts with a runner on second base and tries to get them home. Abby Boland did just that to keep the Knights perfect on the season with a 13-0 region record.

As the Knights head toward the postseason, they will definitely be facing tough competition like the Muskies provided Thursday.

See more photos at https://www.zenfolio.com/sayerrich/e/p649453757

Rocky Grove has a volleyball team that is almost there

5/5/2022

The 4-7 Orioles are really giving their opponents a run for their money this year. Though their record isn't what they want, they are competing hard and keeping their heads in the game.

Last week they went down in the first two sets against Cathedral Prep but rallied back to win the match.
"We have been competing against some very good volleyball teams in the region and have a few tough ones to go," coach Mike Stevenson said last week,

The Orioles have two more matches. You can see this much improved squad compete at home next Tuesday when they host Cambridge Springs.

Photos are from their senior night match against Erie First Thursday night that they dropped in straight sets. "They have two solid hitters," Stevenson said Friday morning. "I feel we competed last night especially in games one and three."

Please see more photos at: https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p840057346
Note: We were busy yesterday and sadly did not make it in time to capture the senior night recognitions.

Franklin begins week rolling over their opponents

5/2/2022

Both Franklin baseball and softball squads made short order of their opponents Monday. The boys swatted the Yellow Jackets at home with a 12-0 five-inning win. The girls went down Route 8 a splell to plate 20 runners in a three innings to blow outt Slippery Rock to remain perfect on the season.

We got to see a couple of old friends in action today. Bill Sherry and Bill Dithrich have been umpiring for decades. I've probably covered 200 or more of the games they've umpired. Both really great guys. It was good to see them both and get a chance to say hello.

Cole Harmon pulled up a bit lame at first base after knocking a base hit that scored two in the fourth. His grandfather said after the game it was his hamstring. Hope he'll be ok.

Cranberry visited a tough Cochranton squad, Franklin continues to roll

4/29/2022

Updated with link to more photos after a request: https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p314508151

The Berries ran into some tough red birds Friday as they traveled up 322 to Cochranton. The Cardinals' bats were alive, including four home runs, as they were able to finish off the Berries 19-4 in four innings.

(Editor's note: This section was updated when we realized the games were incorrectly listed by us.)

Meanwhile, Rocky Gove dropped a tough one against Forest Area (12-1) in five innings. Oil City scored 4 against Jamestown but gave up 14.

Franklin Knights, however, continue to roll this season, remaining undefeated. They last played Thursday when they beat the Corry Beavers 11-6 in Erie County. They meet Sharon today for a morning conference game.

Scores were provided by our friends at D9 and 10 Sports who keep tabs on all regional action.

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I'm hoping I'm not bad luck for these guys

4/23/2022

Franklin has a pretty good ball team. I've managed to get to two games - one they were tied and the other they were in the lead. Shortly after my arrival, things unraveled for them culminating in two losses this week.

To be fair their opponents were no slouches, but yesterday I just got the vibe I wasn't helping them out so I boogied after a couple innings hoping maybe they'd bounce back.

If it is me guys, I apologize, I don't mean it.

All kidding aside, this team does have skills and it will be interesting to see them play when the weather starts leveling out and the fly balls that land in the outfield don't go "thwapt" and sink into the mud.

They do have to get the meatier part of the bat on the center of the ball a little more consistently as well. But there is still plenty of season left.

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The Knights are 4-3 in the region and 5-3 overall still but were 5-1 when the week began. So maybe chalk it up to just a bad week. There was a full moon after all.

They are expected to host Mercyhurst Prep and travel to Northeast this week, according to MaxPreps schedule, but as we've seen this spring, things can change.