INDIANAPOLIS
No one would have blamed Max Linton if he had additional incentive going into Monday’s baseball game against visiting Franklin.
The Roncalli senior, after all, resides in Franklin.
Linton, a senior right-hander, pitched his first varsity complete game and held off the Grizzly Cubs, 3-2. He allowed six hits, walked one and struck out four.
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“I’ve played with a lot of players on their team, so it feels good bringing home a ‘W,’” Linton said. “I just took it inning by inning and tried to keep the ball down. I wanted to get as many ground balls as I could and minimize their hits.”
The Rebels improved to 15-5 on the season, with Franklin’s record dropping to 8-9.
It looked as though the game could become lopsided early, with the Rebels getting to Grizzly Cub sophomore starter Luke Neville for three runs in the bottom of the second.
But impressive relief efforts from juniors Jared Ross and Tyce Miller kept Roncalli from doing further damage.
Roncalli’s half of the second frame started with consecutive singles by Dominic Brown, Chris Dobbs and Hayden Harper. This loaded the bases, and a walk to junior catcher Brian Keeney produced the first run.
Leadoff hitter Nick Schnell’s fielder’s choice made it a 2-0 count, and Mark Cobb’s single to right added the third run.
Franklin responded with two runs in the top of the fourth inning to pull close. Catcher Alec MacLennan’s leadoff single was followed by an opposite-field double to left by Miller to put Cub runners on the corners.
The second single of the game by junior George Admire brought MacLennan home. Franklin’s second run came on Kyle Davis’s fielder’s choice.
“We’ve got to get off to just a little better start. We’ve got to come out early and get ahead of hitters. We really struggled the first couple innings to get ahead of this type of team,” Franklin coach Ryan Feyerabend said.
“I felt that we got a little lucky early where it could’ve gotten out of hand. We’ve got to be sharper from the start, but they kept us just enough off balance, and Roncalli always plays good defense.”
Miller finished with a single and double to lead the Cubs’ offense, while Admire had a pair of singles and was intentionally walked in the top of the sixth.
A two-out single by junior leadoff hitter Luke Miles in the seventh gave Franklin hope for a tie or the go-ahead run. Senior outfielder Jonah Rockey was then hit by a pitch and the Grizzly Cubs had MacLennan at the plate.
MacLennan drove a Linton delivery deep into right field, but it was caught for the game’s final out.
Earlier, Rockey made a diving catch to rob Roncalli’s No. 3 hitter, senior Harrison Koppenhofer, of a hit.
“I was really pleased down the stretch that we were able to hold them to get the shot to win the ballgame,” Feyerabend said. “We played well defensively.”
Franklin is on the road today, this time at Plainfield in a Mid-State Conference matchup. The Rebels host Guerin Catholic.
