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Coming off an opening game win at Benton, the Central Jr. High Baseball team sought road victory when they traveled to Marion on Thursday, but it was the Junior Wildcats that exploded late in the game, beating Frankfort 11-4.
Central took an early lead in the second inning when Hunter Johnson led off with a walk and Hunter Hancock chased his teammate home with a triple into the right field corner. Christian Dunning then ripped an RBI single to give his team a 2-0 lead.
Marion tied the game in the fourth frame on a walk, an error, and a two-base hit, but the ‘Birds regained the lead the next inning when Kyle Sailliez led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Braxston Koehl’s two-out base hit. However, the home team put up four runs, all with two outs, utilizing two singles, an error, and a three-run home run, to take a 6-3 lead.
Frankfort tried to chip away at the deficit in their sixth turn at bat. Dunning lined his second hit of the game with two outs, and Dalton O’Conner doubled him home. After Kyle Sailliez drew a walk, Ty Smith singled, but confusion on the bases led to the final out of the inning with the score 6-4 Wildcats, who put the game on ice by scoring five runs in the home half of the sixth inning to pick up the 11-4 victory.
Redbird coach Dustin Hopkins saw a few positive items in his team’s play, particularly the effort of Koehl, his starting pitcher.
“Braxston gave us a very good effort and with a couple of breaks and a defensive play, he would have finished his five-inning assignment with a possible lead,” Hopkins said. “It was a hot, humid day, and he pitched much better than the final score suggests.”
The Redbird coach pointed out that Marion perennially brings a solid team to the ball park and that his team did not seem to be intimidated by the Wildcat success record.
“Of course, we like to jump out on top and then stay there, but Marion strung several hits together late in the game,” Hopkins commented. “We played hard, didn’t give up, and will look forward to the challenge when we see the Wildcats again.”
The Junior Redbirds’ home opener is Monday against Murphysboro. Game time is 4:30 p.m. at Frankfort Community Park.
Coming off an opening game win at Benton, the Central Jr. High Baseball team sought road victory when they traveled to Marion on Thursday, but it was the Junior Wildcats that exploded late in the game, beating Frankfort 11-4.
Central took an early lead in the second inning when Hunter Johnson led off with a walk and Hunter Hancock chased his teammate home with a triple into the right field corner. Christian Dunning then ripped an RBI single to give his team a 2-0 lead.
Marion tied the game in the fourth frame on a walk, an error, and a two-base hit, but the ‘Birds regained the lead the next inning when Kyle Sailliez led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Braxston Koehl’s two-out base hit. However, the home team put up four runs, all with two outs, utilizing two singles, an error, and a three-run home run, to take a 6-3 lead.
Frankfort tried to chip away at the deficit in their sixth turn at bat. Dunning lined his second hit of the game with two outs, and Dalton O’Conner doubled him home. After Kyle Sailliez drew a walk, Ty Smith singled, but confusion on the bases led to the final out of the inning with the score 6-4 Wildcats, who put the game on ice by scoring five runs in the home half of the sixth inning to pick up the 11-4 victory.
Redbird coach Dustin Hopkins saw a few positive items in his team’s play, particularly the effort of Koehl, his starting pitcher.
“Braxston gave us a very good effort and with a couple of breaks and a defensive play, he would have finished his five-inning assignment with a possible lead,” Hopkins said. “It was a hot, humid day, and he pitched much better than the final score suggests.”
The Redbird coach pointed out that Marion perennially brings a solid team to the ball park and that his team did not seem to be intimidated by the Wildcat success record.
“Of course, we like to jump out on top and then stay there, but Marion strung several hits together late in the game,” Hopkins commented. “We played hard, didn’t give up, and will look forward to the challenge when we see the Wildcats again.”
The Junior Redbirds’ home opener is Monday against Murphysboro. Game time is 4:30 p.m. at Frankfort Community Park.
