Franklin County's Sam Vincent steps forward to deliver a pitch during a game Monday at Lawrence County High School. Vincent pitched a complete game with seven strikeouts, four hits, one walk and one unearned run allowed in the 1-0 loss.
Franklin County's Sam Vincent steps forward to deliver a pitch during a game Monday at Lawrence County High School. Vincent pitched a complete game with seven strikeouts, four hits, one walk and one unearned run allowed in the 1-0 loss.
The Franklin County Rebels lost to the Lawrence County Wildcats 1-0 on the road Monday for their 13th loss of the season.
The Rebels were shut out for the fifth time this season while the Wildcats scored their lone run in the bottom of the fourth off of an error to give them an edge in the district matchup.
Franklin County head baseball coach Mike Crossland said that his team's offensive issues have been a recurring problem this season and will need to be resolved soon with the postseason rapidly approaching.
“It’s hard to win if you can’t score a run,” he said. “Sam (Vincent) pitched another great game all for naught, and offensively, we can’t get anything going. If that doesn’t change, obviously this season is coming to an end pretty quickly.”
Brayden Henley led off the top of the second with a single for Franklin County, but a double play on the very next pitch took him off the basepaths.
Pitcher Sam Vincent attempted to help his own cause with a two-out double off the left-field wall in the top of the fourth. However, after Henley drew an intentional walk to put another runner on, a fielder’s-choice groundball got the Wildcats out of the inning unscathed.
The Wildcats got their first two hits of the day in the bottom of the fourth with a throwing error allowing the lead runner to cross home plate and break the scoreless tie.
Consecutive one-out singles from Braden Jackson and Casen Gilliam in the top of the sixth gave the Rebels another runner in scoring position, but a strikeout and a fielder’s choice ended the frame with neither runner advancing any further.
The Rebels were retired in order in the top of the seventh as the Wildcats held on to beat them by one.
Vincent pitched a complete game for the Rebels with seven strikeouts, four hits, one walk and one unearned run allowed.
With the loss, the Rebels moved to 9-13 on the season and 5-3 in district play.
They will next play Tuesday at home against Lawrence County High School. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
