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Baseball Falls To Franklin 8-6 In Season Opener (04/07/2018)

Nate Datko on first. Datko had one hit.

(By CSZ Sports Writer Kenn Staub)  Despite outhitting Franklin, the Clarion Bobcats fell to the host Knights 8-6 in their season opener on Monday, March 3.

Clarion got off to a promising start in the top of the first, scoring two runs against Franklin starter Ian Haynes. Left fielder Nate Datko blooped a one out single into shallow right field, advancing to second when Sterling Conner stroked a base knock to the left side. Skylar Rhoades followed with a two out single, scoring both Datko and Conner to stake the Bobcats to an early 2-0 advantage.

Rhoades got the start on the bump for Clarion. The hard throwing righty walked the first two Franklin batters he faced in the bottom of the first and hit the third, loading the bases. After a line drive out to Bobcat third sacker Cam Craig, Rhoades walked Austin Rhoads to force in the Knights’ first run of the game. The Clarion hurler responded to this setback by striking out the next batter, but then beaned Franklin’s Noah Turk to force in another run and even up the score at two apiece. Franklin pitcher Ian Haynes, batting in the eighth spot, helped his own cause with a two out, line drive double to right, plating two and moving Turk to third. Rhoades proceeded to the walk Tyus Wood, after which Clarion manager Rob Jewett summoned Cam Craig to the hill. Craig issued a free pass to Brendon Gordon, the tenth batter of the inning, to score the Knights’ final run of the stanza.

Haynes, sitting on a 5-2 lead after the opening frame, held Clarion scoreless in the top half of the second. Connor Rackow tripled for Franklin in the bottom of the inning, hitting a drive to the centerfield fence, coming around to score on an error, giving the Knights a 6-2 edge.

Drew Whren. Whren finished with two hits, three RBI, and a stolen base.

The teams exchanged runs in the third. Clarion’s Conner doubled to center field and moved to third on a Rhoades grounder to short. Drew Whren drove in Conner when he sacrificed to right. Haynes led off the Knights half of the inning with an infield single to short. Zachery Taylor, inserted as a courtesy runner for Haynes, stole second, advanced to third on a dropped strike, and scored when Gordon grounded to the left side of the infield, making the score 7-3 in Franklin’s favor.

Clarion pulled to within one run in the fourth inning, taking advantage of a pitching change which saw Haynes yield to Rackow on the mound. Miller, the Bobcats leadoff hitter, singled to right, stole second, and advanced to third when Datko grounded out to the shortstop. Craig drew a walk and took advantage of a Rackow wild pitch with Conner at the plate to make it to second, a miscue which also saw Miller take home to score Clarion’s first run of the inning. After this sequence, Conner walked on the next pitch. Craig, not content with standing on second, stole third. Conner moved into scoring position the next time Rackow went to the plate, the product of catcher indifference. Rackow loaded the bases when he issued a free pass to Rhoades. Whren stepped to the plate with the bases juiced and proceeded to hit a liner to right, plating both Craig and Conner, cutting Franklin’s lead to 7-6.

Franklin, however, would add to their lead in the bottom of the frame. Skylar Pastor, on in relief of Craig, walked the first two batters he faced, Zachery Baughman and Rhoads. Tyler Ramos, running for Baughman, would score from second when a Kolten Banfi grounder was misplayed, putting Franklin up 8-6.

Spencer Miller, pitching in relief of Pastor for the Bobcats, held Franklin scoreless in the fifth and sixth, while Gordon, called upon to relieve Franklin’s Rackow, didn’t allow a Clarion runner to cross the plate during the fifth, sixth, or seventh, setting the final at 8-6.

Spencer Miller. Miller threw the final three innings, striking out two and not allowing any runs.

Bobcat players Conner, Rhoades, and Whren each enjoyed multi-hit games, connecting for two apiece. Conner got Clarion’s only extra base hit of the contest, a double in the third. Also singling for the Bobcats were Miller, Datko, and Cal German. Conner walked twice, with Craig, Rhoades, Cutter Boggess, and Cole Slaugenhoup each receiving a free pass. Craig and Lake Staub both were awarded first after being hit by pitches.

Whren led the way with three RBI and Rhoades was credited with two.

The Bobcats stole five bases, two by Rhoades and one apiece by Craig, Miller, and Whren.

Rhoades pitched the first two-thirds of an inning for Clarion, allowing only a single hit and striking out one while allowing five runs. Craig relieved Rhoades in the first, pitching two-and-a-third innings during which he gave up two hits, struck out three, and allowed two runs. Pastor followed Craig in the third, giving up no hits but surrendering a run. Miller took over for Pastor in third and went the rest of the way, giving up a single hit while fanning two. He didn’t allow any runs.

(photos by Kristie Datko)