FC varsity baseball stings Hornets, 12-8, to win third straight

The Franklin County High School varsity baseball team pounded out 10 hits against Loyd Star on Monday, Feb. 13 in claiming a 12-8 road win over the Hornets and improved to 3-0 on the fledgling diamond season.

Loyd Star plated a run in the bottom of the second to take an early 1-0 lead over the visiting team, but the Bulldogs’ offense answered with four runs in the top of the third and never looked back nor trailed the rest of the way.

Despite two outs to start the top half of the third stanza, FC got the ball rolling — literally — when Donovan Moore was hit by a pitch before Larry Pernell and Dalton Meadows drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.

Ridge Clanton stroked a single to center that plated both Moore and Pernell for the 2-1 Franklin County advantage.

From there, Noah McCormick followed with another timely single that scored Meadows, and Terrance Fields blasted a double to right that green lighted Clanton to bring in the fourth run.

The Hornets responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to cut FC’s advantage to just one point, 4-3.

In the top of the fourth, Moore advanced for the Bulldogs after being hit by a one-out Loyd Star pitch and Pernell singled successfully toward second.

With runners at first and second, Meadows sent a long ball toward center field for a three-run homer that lifted FC to a 7-3 advantage.

The Hornets were held scoreless in the bottom of the third, and Franklin County added to its lead thanks to more runs for a 10-3 bulge in the top of the fourth.

In that frame, Jamari Tolliver led off with a walk after being hit by a pitch. Judson Arnold then hit a double and Moore drew a trip to first base on four balls – all of which loaded the bases for the Bulldogs.

The effort appeared to be short-lived as Pernell flied out and Meadows struck out looking, but Franklin County’s fate would turn thanks to an on-the-mark double by Clanton to center that brought Tolliver and Arnold home.

Loyd Star answered with a trio of runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut FC’s lead to just four, 10-6.

The top of the sixth saw Fields, Dakota Chisholm and Tolliver reach on walks to load the bags again.

Peyton Hebert struck out looking to leave the bases packed, but Moore clipped a single toward left to plate Fields.

Dawson Halford — Chisholm’s courtesy runner — stole home for the 12th run of the game before the side was retired.

The Hornets were able to score twice in the bottom of the seventh, but that proved to be too-little and too-late in trying to overcome FC’s lead.

In terms of batting, Moore was 2-of-2 for the Bulldogs with two runs scored, a walk and an RBI while Fields was 2-of-3 with a run, an RBI, two walks and a strikeout.

Pernell and Meadows were both 1-of-4 at the plate with the duo scoring two runs apiece with the former having a walk and the latter recording three RBIs, a walk and three strikeouts.

Additionally, McCormick was 1-of-4 with an RBI, a walk and a strike out.

Clanton had a 2-of-5 night with a run and four RBIs and Arnold was 1-of-3 with a run.

Tolliver and Halford both scored a run for the Bulldogs.

Four FC players spent time on the mound against Loyd Star with Moore, who was credited with the win, working three innings where he surrendered three runs on one hit with three earned runs, two strike outs and three walks.

Meadows pitched for two-and-a-third innings and gave up three runs (all earned) on two hits while striking out three and walking one.

Clanton threw for an inning and a third and surrendered two runs (both earned) and three hits with a strike out and two walks.

Tolliver worked a third of an inning and was tagged for a hit and two walks.

FC had no errors in the contest while Loyd Star recorded one.