The Franklin Regional and Plum baseball teams have engaged in some close matchups over the course of their storied neighboring rivalry.
Tuesday’s Section 1-5A clash at Plum High School was no exception.
With close plays on the basepaths, clutch hitting and the pitching and defense from both teams to back it up, the Mustangs scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to break a tie score before holding off the Panthers, 3-2.
“It is sometimes a game of inches and momentum with a play at the plate, a pitch here and there, great defense and big hits in big spots,” said Plum coach Carl Vollmer, who saw his team improve to 14-1 overall and maintain its hold on first place in the section at 8-1.
“But it doesn’t come down to just one play. We were great defensively today. There were a lot of hard-hit balls from both sides that didn’t fall. There were some things we talked about that we can do better for (Tuesday), but we did enough today to get a nice win against a really good baseball team.”
Plum and Franklin Regional (12-4, 6-3) will battle again at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Haymaker Park in Murrysville.
It’s part of a trio of crucial section series in Section 1 as Latrobe faces Armstrong, and Penn-Trafford takes on Kiski Area. Latrobe and Penn-Trafford came into their series tied with Franklin Regional for second at 6-2.
“It was just a great game, no doubt about it,” FR coach Bobby Saddler said. “The boys played well. There were some situations we would have love to have had back, and Plum, I’m sure would’ve liked to have had some situations back, too. In the end, they were able to make a few more plays than we did, and that is what separated the game and got them the win.”
Plum’s Brennan Ryan, who finished 2 for 2 with a walk, came on in the fifth in relief of Mustangs starter Braden Kemmerer. He struck out two and walked one without allowing a hit in 2 2/3 innings He retired five in a row before hitting Panthers No. 9 hitter Austin Visnick with one out in the seventh.
But Ryan shook that off and struck out FR shortstop Luke Williams with a 3-2 fastball before inducing a fielder’s choice to second to end the game.
“Brennan really came up clutch when we needed him,” Vollmer said. “He is such a bulldog out there. He had a really good day.”
Plum struck first in their home half of the first.
Timmy Ruggiero and Connor Wilson singled, and Ryan, again in the cleanup spot, singled to right.
Ryan moved all the way to third when Visnick, in right, misplayed the ball, and it rolled to the fence.
The Mustangs appeared to be in position for a third run in the inning when Andrew Monaco flew out to center. But Ryan left third too early and had to go back.
Enzo Mele then grounded out to third to end the inning.
Franklin Regional answered in the top of the second.
Tim Perone was hit by a Kemmerer pitch to lead off the frame.
With two outs, Dillon Porado hit a long fly ball that hit high off the left-field fence. Porado and Pirone thought the ball hit the yellow at the top of the fence for a home run.
It ended up being only a double for Porado, and Pirone had to pull up at third.
But first baseman Tyler Quinn came through with a two-run single to tie the score 2-2.
“Tyler steps up and does what he needed to do in that situation,” Saddler said. “We have confidence in him every time he comes to the plate.”
Plum gained the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth as Mele was hit by a pitch to start the inning, moved to second on a Ryan Lafferty walk and came around to score on a two-out single from Ruggiero.
Franklin Regional hoped to answer the Plum run, loading the bases in the top of the fifth with one out on a double from Williams and a single from Liam Bernadowski off Kemmerer before reliever Ryan walked Anthony Mitchell.
Ryan unleashed a wild pitch to Pirone, and Williams broke from third. Plum catcher Cam Napierkowski raced to the backstop and flipped the ball to Ryan, who tagged Williams at the plate for the out.
“That was a great play by Cam,” Ryan said.
“That was an absolute turnaround for that inning. We had all the momentum after that. Credit Cam a lot. After that, I was just trying to dial it in, take it pitch by pitch, try not to do too much, and hit my spots. And it worked out for us. I knew I had a great defense behind me and in front of me.”
Pirone then flew out to deep left to end the threat and keep the Panthers off the board.
Kemmerer gave up Franklin Regional’s six hits while striking out three and walking one. Both runs he gave up were earned.
“B-Kemm didn’t have his best stuff, but he battled out there,” Vollmer said.
FR starter Nico Fioravanti went five innings and gave up seven hits and two earned runs while walking two and striking out two.
“He gave us every opportunity to win against a solid lineup like they have,” Saddler said.
“We know they are going to hit the baseball. He scattered some hits but bore down and made big pitches.”