The Franklin Knights will take on the Hickory Hornets at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Franklin will be strutting in after a win while Hickory will be coming in after a defeat.
While Franklin's victory against Cranberry Area wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Knights had just enough and edged out the Berries 11-9. That's two games straight that the Knights have won by exactly two runs.
Brandt McAfoose was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Ian Higley, who went 1-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Franklin kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 11 runs the game before, Hickory was a bit more limited in their contest on Tuesday. They fell just short of Mohawk Area by a score of 3-2.
Ayden Messer was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Luke Lewis was cooking despite his team's loss, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
Hickory dropped their record down to 5-10 with the loss, which was their fourth straight on the road. Even worse, they were so close so many times: the defeats came by an average of only 1.25 runs. As for Franklin, the win got them back to even at 8-8.
Franklin couldn't quite get it done against Hickory when the teams last played back in April as they fell 6-2. Will the Knights have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
