Franklin’s Annabelle Richter throws a pitch during Tuesday’s game at Greenwood.
Sam Findley | For the Daily Journal
The previous eight outings hadn’t smiled on Franklin, but Grizzly Cub players were smiling on Tuesday.
A 4-3 victory at Greenwood snapped the team’s winless streak — seven losses, with a 4-4 tie at McCutcheon mixed in — as the Cubs picked up their first W since April 24.
Leadoff hitter Adeline Blackwell scored the winning run in the top of the seventh inning.
The sophomore was walked by Woodmen junior pitcher Courtney Hankenhoff with two out, stole second base and eventually made it home on a Greenwood throwing error to account for the final tally.
“We were really trying to use this to boost our morale,” Franklin coach Kayla Craft said. “We came out kind of slow, but that last inning where Adeline stole third base and created chaos … that’s what she does best.
“That was all on her. She decided to do that herself, and it worked.”
Greenwood continued to make things interesting in an attempt to tie or win the game, starting with sophomore leadoff Haylie Hendricks’ bloop into shallow center field that she stretched into a double.
The Woodmen couldn’t bring her around, though, as Grizzly Cubs soph pitcher Bryleigh Carlisle-Haltom got a fly out, pop out and ground out to end the game.
The win improved Franklin to 10-11-1 overall and 5-6 in the Mid-State Conference standings.
Eight Franklin batters walked to the plate in the top of the first frame, with three delivering singles for a 2-0 Grizzly Cubs lead. A one-out bunt from freshman Addison Martin got things started, followed by a Corin Dammeier walk. Franklin pulled off a double steal to advance the runners to second and third; Annabelle Richter singled to left-center field to bring them both home.
Greenwood (10-11-1, 5-6 Mid-State) responded in its half of the first with consecutive doubles from Hankenhoff and junior third baseman Emma Chism to pick up a run.
The Woodmen then knotted the score an inning later. Junior Nev Elliott, the No. 7 hitter, walked, made it to third on Kinsley Clark’s single just inside the foul stripe in right field and scored when Clark’s attempt to steal second base resulted in a throwing error.
Greenwood took a 3-2 lead in the third inning when Katelyn Berger hit into an RBI fielder’s choice. The Cubs tied it in the fifth when Martin’s single to left brought home Blackwell.
Franklin finished with six hits, led by Martin and center fielder Emily Fuqua each singling twice; junior third baseman Mia Herbert had the lone extra-base hit with a double. The Woodmen, meanwhile, had five, including a single from senior catcher Nikki Wheatley.
Hankenhoff recorded eight strikeouts for the Woodmen; Carlisle-Haltom, who came in at the top of the third to relieve freshman starter Richter, surrendered Hendricks’ last-gasp double and fanned five hitters.
Stephanie Senac was coaching her fourth game for Greenwood, following late-season changes with the previous staff.
And though her team has yet to win on her watch, she sees improvement.
“I just came into the program last week, so that’s the best game we’ve played since I’ve been here,” Senac said. “I’m proud of what I saw today. We still have some things in the field to clean up a bit, but we were aggressive with our bats today, and made some excellent defensive plays.
“My goal is for us to just continue getting better and better each day.”
The teams play again today (5:30 p.m.) at Franklin.
