The Class AA defending state champion Frankfort Falcons swooped into Baker to snatch a 20-8 victory over Class A state semifinalist East Hardy and left the Cougars in a haze as deep fog rolled into the game during the season opener.
“We are lucky to have a few returning from our state championship run. We got big hits early, then let them back into the game. We stayed focused and patient at the plate which was really important and helped us hit the ball hard. East Hardy had the misfortune of some injuries, but will get better over the season,” Frankfort coach Matt Miller remarked.
Frankfort opened the first inning with a 3-nil lead as Jacob Nething hit an RBI groundout and Uriah Cutter smashed a two-run dinger off East Hardy starting pitcher Shayne Sisler.
Sisler pitched 3.1 innings with one strikeout, then the Cougars went to the bullpen using four more pitchers to finish out the contest: Gage Dove, Dayton Dove, Krystian Byram and JacobyThomas.
East Hardy gathered two of those runs back scoring twice in the bottom half of the frame.
Cougars leadoff batter Evan Hamilton singled off Frankfort pitcher Rhett Sensabaugh up the middle.
Sensabaugh pitched a complete game with seven strikeouts in the win.
After a flyout by Mason Hamilton, Evan Hamilton stole around to third base and Garrett Van Meter received a walk.
A pickoff error created a run, then Levi Price smacked an RBI single and sashed those cold base on the wide throw home for a 3-2 score.
Sisler executed a sacrifice bunt, then a dropped third strike developed into an out at third base negating a run coming across home plate.
Frankfort’s Jaxon Hare got a free pass with one out in the second inning, then Lanson Orndorf meted an RBI double for a 4-2 edge with two outs before a groundout ended the side.
East Hardy stranded Dayton Dove after reaching second base on an error in the bottom half of the second inning.
Sisler threw a strikeout to commence the third inning, but the Falcons countered as Cutter hammered a shot into left field where Dove slipped to create a triple.
Hare recorded an RBI flyout to extend the Falcons lead to 5-2.
The Cougars pounced for a rally cutting the deficit to 5-4 in the bottom of the third inning.
Mason Hamilton hit a sharp grounder in front of the plate and went crashing down dashing out of the batter’s box and left the game with an injury and wouldn’t return.
Van Meter stepped up and crushed a double to the right center field fence.
Price followed with a single and Sisler was issued a walk to load the bases for the Cougars.
East Hardy’s Gage Dove delivered a two-run producing RBI single and advanced to second base on the throw home as Sisler slid into third base, 5-4.
Sensabaugh exchanged eyewear, then tossed back-to-back strikeouts to Mason Wilkins and Patrick Mills to get out of the jam.
“This was the worst game I have ever seen. We couldn’t do anything right. We were in a fog,” East Hardy skipper Tyler Mongold noted.
Frankfort unleashed five runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Lane Lease and Peyton Durst sandwiched runs around a catch by Evan Hamilton in left field.
Orndorf plated a run on an error, then Blake Jacobs was issued a walk loading the bases for the Falcons.
Nething belted a 3-RBI double as the ball eluded Dove in left field to create a 9-4 lead.
Cutter got on base with an error, then Hare made an RBI groundout and the throw home wasn’t in time.
After some geese flew overhead, the Cougars roared with a tag at home plate by catcher Mason Wilkins.
Dayton Dove was given a walk to begin the bottom of the frame for the Cougars, then Evan Hamilton ripped a double into center field with the sliding miss by the outfielder.
After a strikeout, Van Meter delivered a two-RBI single to close the gap to 10-6.
Frankfort piled on five more runs in the fifth inning with the help of five consecutive walks, plus an error plating two runs off the bat of Hare.
The Cougars managed to put two runs on the board in the bottom half of the fifth inning for a 15-8 score.
Sisler drew a walk and Gage Dove was called out on a dropped third strike due to interference.
Mason Wilkins reached base on an error.
Mills hit an RBI single and Dayton Dove notched an RBI groundout for the 15-8 spread.
Evan Hamilton singled, but the throw to home plate got the last out.
Frankfort recorded five more insurance runs in the sixth inning to seal the 20-8 victory as Jacobs (2), Nething (1) and Camden Sell (2) collected RBI singles.
The Falcons finished off the game with a double play and groundout to leaving East Hardy puzzled in the fog on opening night.
