For the second straight night Franklin County’s bats were quiet.
This time the Flyers couldn’t find a way to pull out a win.
FCHS lost to Woodford County 3-1 Wednesday night in the championship game of the 41st District Baseball Tournament at Franklin County.
Both Woodford and Franklin County will play in the 11th Region Tournament starting Monday at Tates Creek. The tournament draw will be held Sunday afternoon.
On Tuesday the Flyers used one big inning to beat Frankfort 9-1. Seven of FCHS’ 11 hits in that game were bunts.
On Wednesday Woodford pitcher Logan Parrett had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning, but the Yellowjackets led just 1-0.
“We didn’t hit the ball the whole tournament,” FCHS coach Deron McDonald said. “Parrett is one of those kids who mixes up his speeds so well and locates all his pitches.
“You have to hit the ball where it’s pitched,” he added, “and our kids never made that adjustment even though we worked on that.”
Woodford (27-6) scored its first run in the first inning. Logan Parrett hit a one-out single and Eli Boggess drew a walk.
Brandon Varble hit a grounder and the Flyers elected to go for the double play. Boggess slid past the bag at second and into FCHS shortstop Eric Meyer, allowing Parrett to come around and score and leaving Varble safe at first on a fielder’s choice.
That was the only run of the game until the sixth inning, when the rest of the game’s runs were scored.
Franklin County pitcher Nick Cumpston allowed just three hits in throwing a complete game.
“Nick threw an awesome game,” McDonald said. “They had a kid that slid past the bag at second base and took Eric out and he dropped the ball. We didn’t get the call there.
“When you give up only three hits you should win the ballgame,” he added. “He did everything he could for us to win, and the rest of us let him down.
“Hopefully we come a little more hungry for the regional tournament.”
Woodford County coach Jeff Parrett knew Cumpston would be a force to be reckoned with, having beaten the Yellowjackets 3-0 earlier this season.
“Cumpston has such good stuff,” Parrett said. “When we saw him last time we got zero, and we knew that was a possibility tonight.”
Still, the Yellowjackets didn’t get rattled and were able to manufacture three runs out of three hits.
“Maybe that’s the sign of a more mature group of guys,” Parrett said. “We have quite a few seniors, and this is the first time we’ve had that in a while at Woodford County.”
Woodford’s other two runs came in the top of the sixth as Boggess led off with a double and Varble followed with a base hit. Boggess scored on the hit and Varble took second on the throw to the plate.
A sacrifice bunt by Chris Ares sent Varble to third, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by J.T. O’Reel.
The Flyers answered with a run in the bottom of the inning.
Zach Arnold led off with a double, and after a fly ball for one out, Logan Crum drew a walk. A passed ball on ball four let Arnold go to third, and he scored on a single by Meyer to make the score 3-1.
Logan Woodside was up next and appeared to beat out a bunt for a single to load the bases with one out when the first base umpire called him safe.
Woodford appealed the call and the home plate umpire called Woodside out.
That left runners at second and third with two outs, and a strikeout ended the inning.
Franklin County (28-9-1) finished with four hits – a double by Arnold and singles by Meyer, Nick Redmon and David Current.
“I want to congratulate Franklin County,” Parrett said. “They’ve had a heck of a year.
“I’m real proud of our guys. They played fundamental baseball, and they beat a good team. They should be proud.”
Logan Parrett was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Also named to the all-tournament team were Arnold, Cumpston and Brandon Smither of FCHS, A.J. Bramble and Collin Harris of Frankfort High, Ryan Barrass and Kyle Stevens of Western Hills, and Varble, O’Reel and Clinton Hollon of Woodford County.
Comments