FC edges NP, Brookhaven in baseball tourney opener

Franklin County High School’s varsity baseball team opened its 2023 season with back-to-back wins in the Wesson Tournament played on Saturday, Feb. 11.

The Bulldogs, 2-0 on the new season, pounded out six hits against North Pike in claiming a 9-1 win in the early contest and then upended Brookhaven, 3-0, in a one-inning, weather-impacted game.

FC 9, NORTH PIKE 1

FC scored five runs in the first inning and four more in the third against North Pike in setting the tempo for the Bulldogs’ diamond debut outing.

Donovan Moore drew a lead-off walk, stole second and advanced to third on a North Pike error to get into scoring position.

A single toward third by Larry Pernell pushed Moore in for FC’s first run of the season.

Then, Pernell reached second on another North Pike error and Dalton Meadows singled to put runners on the corners.

Pernell would ultimately steal home and Meadows easily snared second base before Ridge Clanton struck out looking.

From there, Noah McCormick was hit by a pitch and Terrance Fields singled to load the bases.

Meadows plated a run on yet another North Pike error, which also advanced McCormick and Fields to third and second, respectively.

Jamari Tolliver stroked a grounder that was mishandled by the Jaguars’ defense allowing McCormick to come home.

Judson Arnold drew a one-out walk and Peyton Hebert grounded out, but not before Fields scored the fifth run for the Bulldogs.

The Jaguars’ lone run came off a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning, which cut Franklin’s lead to four, 5-1.

In the top of the third, Tolliver and Hebert collected walks while Moore was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Bulldogs.

Pernell unleashed a three-run triple to center allowing all three occupants of the bases to score for an 8-1 FC advantage.

Then, a Meadows’ single to center pushed in Pernell for Franklin County’s ninth run of the affair.

Pernell and Meadows finished with two hits apiece in three plate appearances with the former scoring two runs and the latter plating once.

Clanton was 1-for-3 batting against North Pike and Fields went 1-for-2 with a run to his credit.

Moore, who was 0-for-1, had two runs and McCormick, 0-for-1, scored once.

Tolliver, Arnold and Hebert were all 0-for-1 with Tolliver and Hebert scoring a run apiece.

Clanton worked two innings on the hill for Franklin County and surrendered just one run on one hit while striking out two and walking one.
Of additional note in the game, North Pike committed a total of five errors against Franklin County.

FC 3, BROOKHAVEN 0

Inclement weather shortened FC’s contest against Brookhaven with the Bulldogs taking a 3-0 single-inning victory.

The difference in this particular outing was two homers by the Dawgs in the top of the first inning — a lead-off solo shot by Moore and then a two-run blast by Meadows that also plated Pernell, who had walked between the pair of long balls.

Also in the outing offensively for Franklin County, Clanton grounded out to short, McCormick flied out to right and Fields struck out swinging.

On defense, Meadows worked a single inning on the mound as FC’s pitcher — hurling a total of 16 throws and giving up a lone hit to Brookhaven while striking out two and walking one during his season debut.