Thursday

Northeast-4

New Franklin-3

On a cold and windy day last Thursday, the New Franklin Bulldogs hosted  the Northeast Bearcats. Although the Bulldogs fought to overcome the Bearcats, in the end, Northeast came out on top, 4-3.

Northeast was able to pull in front of the Bulldogs by putting a run on the board in the top of the second. The Bearcats added another run in the top of the third to to take a 2-0 lead. 

The Bulldogs came right back in the bottom portion of the frame to tie the game by adding two runs on their side of the ledger.

Neither team was able to score for the next four frames, taking the game into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Northeast hung two on the board to take a 4-2 lead. New Franklin was able to earn one run in the bottom of the inning but fell short, losing 4-3.

“Caleb (Hull) pitched his tail off and deserved better,” said New Franklin coach Erich Gerding. Hull, a senior, went 7.2 innings, striking out four and allowing only two earned runs on eight hits.

Sophomore Tanner Bishop was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and drove in all three of the Bulldog runs. “Tanner had a great game for us at the plate,” said Gerding. “But the difference in the game was strikeouts. We struck out 11 times, eight of which were looking at pitches we shouldn’t have been looking at. Everyone in our lineup, except tor Tanner, struck out looking once. That is unacceptable.”

Sophomore Jacob Marshall contributed one hit for the Bulldogs as did Hull.

Junior Clayton Wilmsmeyer came on in relief of Hull in the top of the eighth and gave up two hits while striking out one.

“We’ve got to get tougher at the plate, no doubt about it,” said Gerding. “That way we don’t waste a pitching performance like we had tonight. I was proud of how we came back, though.”

Friday

Salisbury-7

New Franklin-6

For the second night in a row, the New Franklin Bulldogs took a game into extra innings but fell short. This time the loss came to Salisbury, 7-6.

“Second consecutive night that ended with a punch to the gut,” said Gerding. “This was definitely a tough one to swallow.”

Salisbury took the lead in the fourth, putting one run up on the board. The Panthers then came back in the bottom of the fifth and tacked on three more runs to take a 4-0 lead.

In the seventh inning the New Franklin bats came alive to tie the game at four apiece. Junior pitcher Clayton Wilmsmeyer held the Panthers scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to send the game into extras.

Neither team could put runs across the plate in the eighth.

In the top of the ninth, the Bulldogs plated two runs to take what seemed to be a comfortable 6-4 lead. But Salisbury responded with three runs to take the 7-6 win.

Bishop continued leading the Bulldog hitters as he finished the game going 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI’s. Junior Owen Armentrout also contributed three hits with two doubles. “It was good to see Owen break out, it just wasn’t enough,” said Gerding.

Jacob Marshall was 2-for-5 with an RBI and scored two runs. Clayton Wilmsmeyer also had a 2-for-5 night with an RBI.

Sophomores Drew Rhorer and Conner Wilmsmeyer added one hit apiece.

“Clayton pitched a whale of a game,” said Gerding. “But offensively we just couldn’t get anything going until late. We now have a great opportunity as individuals and as a team to show our character and resolve next week and beyond. How we rebound from these past two nights will all us a lot about who we are.”

New Franklin will be tested today at 5 p.m. as they welcome Harrisburg. The Bulldogs then take on Community in another home matchup on Tuesday.