The New Franklin Bulldogs came back from a 2-0 deficit in the sixth inning to beat Cairo 4-2 on Tuesday.

Clayton Wilmsmeyer drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth as the Bulldogs stopped a three-game slide and beat the Bearcats for the first time since 2016.

“Extremely proud of this group,” coach Erich Gerding said. “We came back once again, but this time we got a lead and held on.”

Tanner Bishop and Tysen Dowell got the rally started with back-to-back doubles to lead off the sixth inning. Colton Collyott’s groundout moved the tying run to third base and Keaton Eads tied the game with a infield single. Wilmsmeyer’s double gave the Bulldogs the lead and Caleb Hull’s two-out double tacked on an insurance run.

“We had a lot of good at bats throughout the entire game, but in the sixth we got a few in a row,” Gerding said. “These guys are doing the things we constantly preach and it is paying off.”

Eads issued a leadoff walk in the seventh, but Jake Marshall ended the game with a double play, catching a ball in left field and doubling off the runner at second base.  

Eads earned the save and Hull was credited with the win, allowing one earned run on seven hits over six innings. He walked just one and struck out six.

“Caleb did a great job on the mound once again and got out of a few jams early,” Gerding said.

“Again, just very proud of this group against a tough and talented opponent.”

Last year, the Bulldogs had just two hits in a 10-0 loss to Cairo, who finished the season 16-1. In the spring, the Bearcats were ranked eighth in the MHSBCA pre-season rankings. 

Bishop and Wilmsmeyer each went 2-3 at the plate on Tuesday. Sam Marshall and Collyott each went 1-3 and Owen Armentrout was 1-4.