Five errors, seven walks, a balk, and eight Grizzlies hit by pitches --- including a base-loaded hit batsman in the bottom of the 12th inning --- erased a 7-2 lead by Wabash to eventually hand Franklin a 9-8 win at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
The Little Giants posted five runs in the fifth inning. Shaun Rico led off the inning with a double down the right field line, moving to third on a single by John Brauchie. After David Culp loaded the bases with a walk, a ground out by Mike Nowak scored Rico. Kyle Rush brought home another run on a fielder’s choice when the Grizzlies were unable to throw out Brauchie at the plate.
Bobby Ritz picked up an improbable RBI on a soft looper over the head of Franklin’s first baseman, but just short of the second baseman that scored Culp. Wabash took a run off the scoreboard when Rush was thrown out trying to steal third when Matt Dodaro crushed a triple to left center. Jake Thomas’ single scored Dodaro to give the Little Giants a five-run cushion.
That cushion only lasted a few moments. The Grizzlies scored a run in the bottom of the fifth, then picked up one run on just one hit in the seventh, then added four runs in the eighth. Those fours runs came courtesy of Wabash mistakes as the Little Giants committed two errors after hitting the leadoff batter in the inning while adding a wild pitch and a walk to the mix.
Despite the miscues, Wabash still battled. Franklin took a one-run lead into the top of the ninth inning before Culp singled with one out to begin another rally. Nowak was hit by pitch, followed by a Rush walk to load the bases. Ritz then beat out a double-play attempt by Franklin that would have ended the game, but instead brought Culp home with the tying run.
After neither team scored in the first two extra innings, Franklin once again was rewarded by Wabash mistakes. Nick Ostergaard led off with a walk in the Grizzlies’ half of the 12th. A fielder’s choice sent Ostergaard to second. The next two batters were hit by a pitch and walked to load the bases. That brought designated hitter Derek Smith to the plate with two outs in the inning. Smith had already drawn three hit batsmen in addition to a single. He would take the final pitch of the game in the left elbow, bringing Ostergaard home with the winning run.
Thomas led the Little Giants with three of their 10 hits. Thomas and Ritz each had two RBIs in the loss.
The loss was the seventh one-run defeat of the season for Wabash, now 11-21-1 for the year. The Little Giants have also lost two straight to Franklin at Victory Field and trail in the neutral park series 5-2.
Wabash will try to rebound with a key weekend series against Ohio Wesleyan in a final attempt to earn a berth in the upcoming North Coast Athletic Conference tournament.
Photos - (top right) Bobby Ritz scores easily on an RBI triple by Matt Dodaro in the fifth inning.
(bottom left) Second baseman Mike Nowak throws out a Franlin batter at first.