WRENTHAM, Mass. - Franklin (4-4) scored nine runs in the final two innings, including an eight-run explosion in the top of the seventh, to come from behind and pick up a big 11-3 win over Kelley-Rex rival King Philip (4-6) on Sunday in Wrentham.
Panthers pitcher Zane Byrne, making his first start of the season, gave up three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first but settled down and finished with six scoreless innings allowing only one more hit and three more base runners.
“We were fighting against ourselves early and Zane was a little excited in his first start and was a little off, but I was really proud of how he and the team settled in, righted the ship, and started to play good baseball,” said Franklin coach Zach Brown. “It was a much-needed win against a high quality opponent.”
It was also Byrne that provided the big hit in the top of the sixth inning to drive in Nick Burgos with a double to tie the game at 3-3. In the seventh, the Panthers offense exploded on relief pitchers Anthony Cerrone and Tyler Hopkins to break the game wide open.
Anthony Chaiton (3-5, two RBI) singled to start the inning and Nick Santucci followed with triple to give Franklin its first lead. Pat O’Reilly singled in the sophomore shortstop and then stole second. O’Reilly was faked out by shortstop Owen Galvin for a fielder’s choice out on a grounder by Burgos. Byrne (2-4) followed with a blast to left center for a double to make it 5-3 (his third RBI of the game).
The rally continued as Franklin would send 14 hitters to the plate in the inning. Nick Gallo and Kyle Skidmore each drove in runs and then Chaiton got his second hit of the inning with a double over rightfielder Stephen Beattie to plate a pair of runs and make it 11-3.
“I don’t think there was a cheap hit to be had in the seventh inning,” said KP coach Pat Weir. “They hit the ball pretty hard. That flyball to left with a tail on it off the lefthanded hitter -- that was hit pretty hard and that’s a tough play -- and the floodgates opened from there.”
Brown remarked, “This has been coming. We’ve had spurts but once we’ve gotten ourselves into scoring position guys have been pressing a little bit and trying to do too much and today, finally, guys just settled down and had the same at bats that got us into those positions.”
It was Franklin that got the first run. An infield single by Chaiton and a bunt single for Santucci (2-4) got things started with one out in the top of the first. On a double steal, the throw to third ended up in left and Chaiton came in to score an unearned run.
KP responded in the bottom of the inning. The first four hitters in the Warriors lineup each had base hits with Galvin driving in Beattie to make it 1-0 and Tyler Hopkins (1-3) driving in both Galvin and Michael Murray (2-3) to make it 3-0.
Byrne settled down to get the next three hitters and would only allow three more baserunners for the remainder of the game, including the final seven hitters of the game.
“I think he was a little excited and a little up,” said Brown of his junior starter. “They have a good hitting lineup and they made him pay for those mistakes and once he was able to settle down and get into rhythm working down in the zone, he was able to turn the momentum in his favor.”
Weir noted, “We came out of the gate very aggressive, which has kind of been out M.O. all year, but we definitely have a hard time sustaining that aggressiveness as the game wore on. Give [Byrne] a lot of credit; he did settle down and he was in the zone and induced a lot of flyballs from us.
KP starter Eric Cote was solid in the cold, blustery weather striking out seven Panthers through five-plus innings but Weir was concerned about the pitch count and he decided to pull him after Cote walked the lead-off hitter in the sixth leading 3-2.
Weir said, “He pitched phenomenal. His pitch count got a little high and with the weather the way it is that’s why the move was made. He got a little but tired there, I think he was right around 100 pitches, but you have to give credit to Franklin -- they hit well.”
He added, “I think it’s a tale of our season. We struggle to put seven complete together, but we’ll get there. We’re close but it always seems like it’s that one inning that comes back and bites us. We’ve been in every game.”
The victory pushed Franklin back to .500 this spring and Brown is hoping it can be the impetus for a strong push in the second half of the season.
He said, “Any win at this point and any win in this league is a good one. That’s a quality opponent and they’re a good baseball team, so we’re excited about it.”
King Philip will look to bounce back on Monday with a trip to Taunton, while Franklin will host Mansfield.
Josh Perry can be contacted at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10. Photos by Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com.