TAUNTON — The opening season matchup between the 2 frontrunners in Division 1 lived as much as the hype.
Austin Campbell fired six innings of two-run baseball, placing out 9 and permitting no walks, whereas Jase Lyons stranded the tying run at third base as top-ranked Franklin defeated Hockomock Kelly-Rex foe No. 2 Taunton, 3-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Taunton High School.
Franklin (4-0) fell to the Tigers in final yr’s Division 1 state remaining.
“Taunton is as good as advertised,” Franklin coach Zach Brown mentioned. “Austin was really good. We had chances to stretch the lead but we were not getting that backbreaker. If you do not get to the Cali’s early they get stronger.”
The Panthers struck first within the opening inning as Ben Jarosz lined an RBI single off Tigers’ right-hander Shawn Cali to provide the guests a 1-0 lead. Franklin added a pair within the second when Lyons dropped a base hit to proper area that scored Ryan Gerety and Ethan DePaolo to stretch the benefit to 3-0.
Campbell, in the meantime, cruised via the primary 4 innings, fanning six Tigers round only a pair of hits. Taunton obtained to Campbell within the fifth as slugger Ryan MacDougall crushed a two-run triple into the hole to trim the deficit to at least one. Campbell regained his footing, nevertheless, and retired the following 4 straight earlier than Lyons held off Taunton within the seventh to safe the win.
Taunton obtained the potential tying run to 3rd base, however Lyons obtained MacDougall to floor out to finish the sport.
“Austin had control of all four pitches and did not fall into patterns,” Brown mentioned. “In the biggest moment he was able to make pitches and get us out of it. MacDougall delivers a big blow and he’s starting to feel it but Austin did just a great job refocusing.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com