Grizzly baseball sweeps season openers

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By Matt Muncy, March 4, 2010

“We played pretty well considering it was the first time on a field this year,” said Franklin coach Lance Marshall.

 

The first game started off slow for both teams as they combined for two hits in the first three innings. In the fourth innings, the Grizzlies (2-0) got a single from Ian Sanders and then a RBI double from Alex Boone to go up 1-0.

 

In the sixth inning the Grizzlies added another run on a fielder’s choice by Paul Strack which scored Jordan Smuts from second base. Franklin scored two in the seventh and forced Spalding to a three-up, three-down inning.

 

Up 4-0 the Grizzlies looked to add to their lead and in the eighth they did just that. Smuts scored from third on another fielder’s choice, Jarrett Johnson stole home on a double steal, and Matt Zmich drove in two on a single.

 

Spalding scored a run on a Jordan Messex single in the eighth, Franklin scored on a Boone single in the ninth, and Nathan Ellis closed out the game with a fly out and back-to-back strike outs.

 

Luke Mehringer picked up the win for the Grizzlies after pitching seven innings. He finished with five strikeouts, one walk, and three hits. Ellis pitched three innings allowing three hits and striking out three.

 

Jacob Wardrip got the loss for Spalding after pitching seven innings. He struck out five and gave up seven hits and one earned run.

 

Franklin didn’t lose a step heading into game two.

 

The Grizzlies got on the board early with two runs in the first after a pair of walks put runners in scoring position and Cody Nees singled in two runs.

 

Spalding scored in the third and was losing 2-1 before Franklin came back up to bat in the third.

 

Eight runs, five hits, and two men left on base was the outcome for Franklin in the third. Boone doubled in two runs, Zmich drove in three on a homerun, Johnson singled in two runs, and then Boone singled in his third run of the inning.

 

“Zmich hitting the three-run homer put it out of reach even in the third inning,” said Marshall.

 

Franklin added two runs in the fourth and fifth and led 14-1. Spalding scored another run in the sixth followed by Franklin adding three more in the seventh. Up 17-2 the game was called after seven innings.

 

Derrik Patterson earned the victory for the Grizzlies with five innings pitched, four hits, four strikeouts, and one earned run. Carter received the loss for Spalding.

Marshall felt that Mehringer set the precedent for the pitching staff and that carried over to the second game.

 

“I think our pitching staff is really talented. Patterson went out and threw very well.”

Boone finished with four hits and five RBIs, Zmich had three hits and five RBIs, Johnson had two hits and three RBIs, and Travis Lee finished with one hit and three RBIs.