Franklin’s Max Clark celebrates a triple during Friday’s game against Franklin Central at Victory Field.
Chris Williams | For the Daily Journal
INDIANAPOLIS
Nothing like a baseball game at Victory Field in April to pull back the curtain of possibility.
Franklin, unranked in Class 4A, nonetheless remains confident it has the talent and cohesiveness necessary to manufacture a deep postseason run. One that, with some breaks, could lead back to the same spacious and perfectly-manicured confines in June for the 4A state championship game.
On Friday, the Grizzly Cubs produced 11 base hits to defeat Franklin Central, 8-2.
“It’s an awesome experience, like once in a lifetime,” said Franklin senior pitcher Drew Doty, who went the distance, allowing six hits and striking out nine. “It was amazing. Hopefully, we’re back here in a month or so. It’s so much fun here.”
Franklin (9-6), which plays today at Cathedral, received a three-hit performance from junior center fielder Max Clark; junior Jackson Henry and senior Xavier Brown each supplied the Grizzly Cubs with a pair of singles.
Franklin, which stranded a total of five baserunners while being held scoreless the first two frames, had three runners touch home plate in the bottom of the third.
Clark led off with a stand-up triple, taking Joshua McCormick’s 2-0 pitch and lacing a liner into center that two-hopped off the wall padding. Senior Logen Devenport’s double into shallow center brought Clark home with the game’s first run.
“(McCormick) went back-to-back sliders, so he missed up and then he missed down,” Clark said. “I knew he had to go changeup out or just try to go with the fastball. I was sitting changeup, and he missed his spot.
“He threw it right down the middle, and I connected on it and got going.”
Nolan Netter walked and Henry singled to left to make it a 2-0 contest. Junior Pryce Rucker hit into a fielder’s choice, which accounted for the third run.
Clark’s second single and third hit of the game got the Cubs going in the fourth. He stole second base and eventually scored on Netter’s single.
Franklin Central (2-9) cut the deficit in half in the top of the sixth inning.
Senior leadoff hitter Taylor Mann singled to left to get things started. He came home with his squad’s first run when the next batter, junior Max Thacker, doubled to the wall in deep left.
Thacker then scored on catcher Corbin Napier’s sacrifice fly to right field.
The Grizzly Cubs responded in the bottom half with four runs. It started with a Clark walk and singles from Henry, catcher Beau Baker and Brown. Franklin also benefitted by way of a trio of Flashes miscues — a throwing error, wild pitch and passed ball.
Franklin left a total of 12 runners on base.
Coach Ryan Feyerabend knows there are improvements to be made in the weeks ahead. The opportunity to play a game at Victory Field carries a special value of its own.
“This is a special, special deal,” Feyerabend said. “To be able to come here and play in this environment, this one’s been marked on the calendar for almost a year now.
“We try to bring as many kids as they would allow us so everyone can kind of experience this environment.”
The Grizzly Cubs hope it pays dividends once the postseason begins. The Class 4A sectional at Center Grove includes the top-ranked Trojans and No. 8 Mooresville, among others.
“I was talking to some guys before the game. Just the feeling of stepping into a clubhouse and a locker room like this, you just don’t get to have it,” Clark said. “Obviously, this is our one time right now, but like I told them earlier, I want to be back here in June.”
