BETTER LATE THAN NEVER FOR FRANKLIN SOFTBALL

by Derek Toney

See video below

Before Friday afternoon’s matchup with Sparrows Point High, Franklin softball coach Ed Lahay lauded his team’s patience at the plate. The Indians’ methodology paid off once again.

On the verge of its first loss, Franklin tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, and scored again in the eighth to claim a 2-1 decision over the Pointers. In winning their 14th straight decision, the Indians put a stranglehold on first in Baltimore County’s Division II (4-0).

“They have a lot of patience and don’t quit,” said Lahay. “A lot of times they seemed low-key, but they got an inner determination. They refuse to give up.”

Junior Erin Wolfe scored the winning run on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth, keeping Jordan Eades undefeated on the mound. The junior struck out 11 and allowed six hits to outlast Sparrows Point senior Kara Malvaso.

Malvaso, a lefthander, limited the Indians to five hits and had eight strikeouts. She was an out away from the victory, but freshman Mary Soboda’s single to right scored Kelsey Kluckowski with the tying run.

“Everybody was really into it. We really got fired up when a couple of calls didn’t go our way,” said Soboda, a freshman shortstop. “We really had to want it and put it together.”

Despite having three starters back from last spring’s Class 3A state semifinal squad, the Reisterstown school has assembled arguably the top team in Baltimore County with six players from last year’s junior varsity. Lahay said junior Marissa Romon has been a stabilizing force at second base after not playing last season.

“I’ve built a lot of confidence in my team as the season has progressed,” said Eades.  “The entire lineup has been great, but these last few games, it’s been the bottom of the lineup that’s been pulling us through.”

The Pointers (10-3, 2-2) got their only run off Eades in the fourth as her counterpart Malvaso sent the first pitch into the outfield. A passed ball advanced Malvaso to second, then Kaitlyn Welk brought her home with a single to center.

Sparrows Point put together three straight hits to loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but a forced out at home and grounder to first ended the at-bat. The missed opportunity would haunt them.

Kluckowski’s single inside the rightfield line got Franklin started with out in the seventh. She moved to second on a wild pitch, then went to third on a groundout by Joanna Murray, setting the stage for varsity newcomer Soboda.

Down to her last strike, Soboda hit a ball that eluded the outstretch glove of Pointers’ first basemen Melissa Lute and landed in shallow rightfield. Wolfe, at second to start the eighth inning under international rules, stole third proceeding a bunt single by Becca Brown. With an out and Eades at the plate, Malvaso’s pitch squirted away from catcher Gabby Antalffy and Wolfe slid in.

“We had an opportunity to blow the game open or at least get one more run,” said Sparrows Point coach Duke Vickery, whose team dropped its third straight extra inning decision. “The hit in the bottom of seventh tip off the first basemen’s glove, so we were like inches away from ending it.”

The Indians completed arguably their toughest week of the regular season, getting road victories at Perry Hall and Eastern Tech. Franklin waited nearly an hour to start Friday afternoon as Sparrows Point’s bus arrived late, but the Indians continue to prove true the old adage, “Patience is a virtue.”

“We’ve been facing tougher teams lately and had to learn to be patient,” said Soboda. “We had to work deeper in the count and get the pitches that we want.”

Franklin 2, Sparrows Point 1, 8 inn.

Sparrows Point        000 100 00-1 6 0
Franklin                   000 000 11-2 5 0

Malvaso and Antalffy; Eades and Snee.