Flashes stay on goose egg against Falcons

Franklin Central did about everything but score against Perry Meridian in a Conference Indiana match-up on Tuesday, April 22. The Flashes had runners in scoring positions in five of seven innings, but still wound up on the bottom end of a 1-0 scoreboard reading.

Perry Meridian manufactured the only run of the contest in the bottom of the third inning on a one-out single, a sacrifice bunt that moved the runner to second base and what proved to be a game-winning single by Austin Conley.

Meanwhile, Franklin Central wasted oh-so-close opportunities:

** In the top of the opening frame, junior Jake Hartley stroked a two-out single and junior Zach Sherwood walked, with both winding up padlocked to their bases.

** In the top of the second inning, singles by seniors Austin Tielking and Tyler Presley and a walk to senior Tommy Winders loaded the bases with two outs before a ground out ended the possible uprising.

** In the top of the third stanza, Hartley led off with a double and Sherwood again worked a free pass before Perry Meridian could record an out. However, the Falcons survived on a strikeout and ground ball double play.

** In the top of the sixth inning, junior Brock Griffin smacked a one-out double and Tielking walked. A strikeout and fly ball left both runners stranded.

** The final opportunity came in the top of the seventh segment when sophomore Nate Odle led off with a pinch-hit single. Winders put down a successful sacrifice bunt that moved senior pinch-runner Evan Kinney into scoring position at second base. A ground out advanced Kinney to third base, followed by a two-out walk to Hartley. The game ended, however, on a ground out, with the first-base runner being forced at second base.

FC southpaw Hartley turned in another strong pitching performance, limiting Perry Meridian to five hits while striking out four Falcons' batters and walking one.

The Flashes collected seven hits off winning pitcher Nate Cast, including a pair by Hartley and one apiece by Presley, Tielking, Griffin, Odle and sophomore Brett Massengale.

The loss snapped a five-game Franklin Central winning streak and handed the Flashes their first conference setback in three outings. FC will carry a 7-6 overall mark and 2-1 loop ledger into a conference confrontation at Southport on Wednesday, April 23, in a 5 p.m. start.

Score by innings:
Franklin Central	000	000	0	--	0	7	1
Perry Meridian	001	000	x	--	1	5	0
Winning pitcher - Nate Cast
Losing pitcher - Jake Hartley

- FTONEWS.com -